APEX1 and breast cancer: This conclusion was supported by the following findings: 1) hyperacetylation by co-treatment with ASA and TSA induced different types of cell death in two human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231); 2) hyperacetylated MDA-MB-231 cells secreted Ac-APE1/Ref-1 through the formation of vesicles; 3) hyperacetylation upregulated RAGE in MDA-MB-231 cells, which was accompanied by direct binding to the secreted Ac-APE/Ref-1; and 4) RAGE transduced intracellular apoptotic signaling in hyperacetylated TNBC, but not normal breast epithelial MCF-10A cells.