Epigenetic silencing of death receptor 4 mediates tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand resistance in gliomas.

PURPOSE To identify and characterize epigenetically regulated genes able to predict sensitivity or resistance to currently tested chemotherapeutic agents in glioma therapy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We used methylation-sensitive BeadArray technology to identify novel epigenetically regulated genes associated with apoptosis and with potential therapeutic targets in glioma therapy. To elucidate the functional consequences of promoter methylation in the identified target death receptor 4 (DR4), we investigated tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated and anti-DR4-mediated apoptosis in glioma cell lines (U373 and A172) with loss of DR4 and one glioma cell line (LN18) with robust DR4 expression. RESULTS In human astrocytic tumors, we detected DR4 promoter hypermethylation in 60% (n = 5) of diffuse astrocytomas WHO grade 2, in 75% (n = 8) of anaplastic astrocytomas WHO grade 3, and in 70% of glioblastomas WHO grade 4 (n = 33). DR4 is a cell surface protein restricted to glioma cells and is targeted by TRAIL. Glioma cell lines U373 and A172 harbored heavily methylated DR4 promoters, and 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine-mediated demethylation reconstituted DR4 expression in these cell lines. Functional knockdown of DR4 by DR4-specific small interfering RNA in TRAIL-sensitive glioma cell line LN18 significantly mitigated apoptosis induced by an agonistic anti-DR4 antibody. 5-Aza-2-deoxycytidine-mediated demethylation resulted in a functional reconstitution of DR4 on the cell surface of TRAIL-resistant glioma cell line U373 and sensitized U373 to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Suppression of DR4 by small interfering RNA in demethylated U373 successfully reestablished the TRAIL-resistant phenotype of U373. CONCLUSIONS DR4 promoter methylation is frequent in human astrocytic gliomas, and epigenetic silencing of DR4 mediates resistance to TRAIL/DR4-based glioma therapies.