Transient inhibition of NF‐κB by DHMEQ induces cell death of primary effusion lymphoma without HHV‐8 reactivation

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a refractory malignancy caused by human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) in immunocompromised individuals. The tumor cells of PEL are characterized by constitutive NF-κB activation. Dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin (DHMEQ) is a new NF-κB inhibitor and is effective on various tumor cells with constitutively activated NF-κB. Thus, in search for a new therapeutic modality of PEL, we examined the effect of DHMEQ on PEL cells. We confirmed constitutive activation of NF-κB with subcomponents of p50 and p65 in PEL cell lines. DHMEQ quickly and transiently abrogated NF-κB activation and reduced the cell viability in dose- and time-dependent manners, inducing apoptosis through activation of both mitochondrial and membrane pathways. Array analysis revealed that DHMEQ down-regulated expression levels of NF-κB target genes, such as interleukin-6 (IL6), Myc, chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 5 (CCR5) and NF-κB1, whereas it up-regulated expression levels of some genes involved in apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest. DHMEQ did not reactivate HHV-8 lytic genes, indicating that NF-κB inhibition by DHMEQ did not induce virus replication. DHEMQ rescued CB-17 SCID mice xenografted with PEL cells, reducing the gross appearance of effusion. Thus, DHMEQ transiently abrogated the NF-κB activation, irreversibly triggering the apoptosis cascade without HHV-8 reactivation. In addition, DHMEQ could rescue the PEL-xenograft mice. Therefore, we suggest DHMEQ as a promising candidate for molecular target therapy of the PEL. (Cancer Sci 2009; 100: 737–746)