title: Focus on acetylation: the role of histone deacetylase inhibitors in cancer therapy and beyond.
abstract: Reversal of tumorigenic epigenetic alterations is an exciting strategy for anticancer drug development. Pharmacologic inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) induces differentiation, proliferation arrest and apoptosis of cancer cells. In addition to their effects on histones, HDAC inhibitors increase the acetylation level of several non-histone proteins, such as transcription factors, cytoskeletal proteins and molecular chaperones, which are crucial in tumorigenesis. Most importantly, the therapeutic potential of HDAC inhibitors goes well beyond carcinogenesis and may include neurodegenerative and inflammatory disorders. This editorial discusses the implication of HDACs in carcinogenesis, the molecular basis of the selectivity of HDAC inhibitors and their possible therapeutic role in non-malignant pathologic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, University of Athens, 75, M. Asias Street, GR-11527 Goudi-Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiotis A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Konstantinopoulos
authors.forename: Michalis V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Karamouzis
authors.forename: Athanasios G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Papavassiliou
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006657:Histones; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; D006655:Histone Deacetylases