title: Class IIa HDACs: from important roles in differentiation to possible implications in tumourigenesis.
abstract: Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are important regulators of gene expression. Specific structural features and distinct regulative mechanisms rationalize the separation of the 18 different human HDACs into four classes. The class II comprises a heterogeneous group of nuclear and cytosolic HDACs involved in the regulation of several cellular functions, not just limited to transcriptional repression. In particular, HDAC4, 5, 7 and 9 belong to the subclass IIa and share many transcriptional partners, including members of the MEF2 family. Genetic studies in mice have disclosed the fundamental contribution of class IIa HDACs to specific developmental/differentiation pathways. In this review, we discuss about the recent literature, which hints a role of class IIa HDACs in the development, growth and aggressiveness of cancer cells.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Biologiche and MATI Center of Excellence Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Clocchiatti
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Florean
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Brancolini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D006655:Histone Deacetylases