I-BET726 suppresses human skin squamous cell carcinoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo

Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is a potential therapeutic target of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). I-BET726 is a novel BRD4 inhibitor. Its potential effect in skin SCC cells was tested in the present study. We show that I-BET726 potently inhibited survival, proliferation, cell cycle progression, and migration in established (A431/SCC-9/SCC-12/SCC-13 lines) and primary human skin SCC cells. I-BET726 induced significant apoptosis activation in skin SCC cells. It was more efficient in inhibiting skin SCC cells than known BRD4 inhibitors (JQ1, CPI203, and AZD5153). I-BET726 not only downregulated BRD4-regulated proteins (c-Myc, Bcl-2, and cyclin D1), but also inhibited sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) and Akt signalings in SCC cells. Restoring Akt activation, by a constitutively active S473D mutant Akt1 (“caAkt1”), partially inhibited I-BET726-induced cytotoxicity in A431 cells. In vivo, I-BET726 oral administration potently inhibited A431 xenograft growth in severe combined immunodeficient mice. Downregulation of BRD4-regulated proteins and inhibition of the SphK1-Akt signaling were detected in I-BET726-treated A431 xenograft tumor tissues. Together, I-BET726 inhibits skin SCC cell growth in vitro and in vivo.