HDAC5, a potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker, promotes proliferation, invasion and migration in human breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) is an important protein in neural and cardiac diseases and a potential drug target. However, little is known regarding the specific role of HDAC5 in breast cancer (BC). We aimed to evaluate HDAC5 expression in human breast tumors and to determine the effects of the inhibition of HDAC5 expression in BC cells.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: HDAC5 expression was evaluated in BC patients and was correlated with clinical features and with patient prognosis. Functional experiments were performed using shRNA and the selective HDAC inhibitor LMK-235 for HDAC5 knockdown and inhibition in BC cells. The synergistic effects of LMK-235 with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib were also examined.

RESULTS: HDAC5 was extensively expressed in human BC tissues, and high HDAC5 expression was associated with an inferior prognosis. Knockdown of HDAC5 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and enhanced apoptosis. The HDAC5 inhibitor LMK-235 inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis, while the inclusion of bortezomib synergistically enhanced the efficacy of LMK-235.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that HDAC5 is a promising prognostic marker and drug target for BC and that the combination of LMK-235 and bortezomib presents a novel therapeutic strategy for BC.