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PI3K/mTOR mediate mitogen-dependent HDAC1 phosphorylation in breast cancer: a novel regulation of estrogen receptor expression Free
Simona Citro1,*, Claudia Miccolo1, Laura Meloni1,2, and Susanna Chiocca1,*
1Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, IFOM-IEO Campus, via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
2Present address: Department for Molecular Biomedical Research, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde, 927 VIB west, 9052 Ghent, Belgium *Correspondence to:Susanna Chiocca, E-mail: susanna.chiocca@ieo.eu; Simona Citro, E-mail: simona.citro@ieo.eu
J Mol Cell Biol, Volume 7, Issue 2, April 2015, 132-142,  https://doi.org/10.1093/jmcb/mjv021
Keyword: breast cancer,estrogen receptor,HDAC1/mTOR/PI3K/S6K1

Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) is an important epigenetic controller involved in transcriptional regulation through modification of chromatin structure. Genetic and epigenetic changes and deregulation of signal transduction pathways have been implicated in the development of breast cancer. Downregulation of estrogen receptor α (ERα) expression is one of the mechanisms behind the acquisition of endocrine resistance. Sustained and increased hormone and growth factor receptor signaling in breast cancer cells contribute to resistance to endocrine therapy. Both HDACs and the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway are becoming promising targets in breast cancer, reversing also acquired hormone resistance. Here we show how mitogens, activating the PI3K/mTOR pathway, trigger the phosphorylation of HDAC1 in breast cancer cells, which is completely dependent on the activity of the p70 S6 kinase (S6K1). Our findings show that S6K1, overexpressed in many breast cancers, controls HDAC1-dependent transcriptional regulation of ERα levels upon mitogenic stimuli, controlling HDAC1 recruitment to the ERα promoter. Furthermore, cell treatment with both mTOR and HDACs inhibitors shows an additive effect in inhibiting breast cancer proliferation. This confirms the novel cross-talk between the HDAC1 and PI3K pathways with clinical implications towards the treatment of this malignant disease.