title: Histone acetylation as a therapeutic target.
abstract: The recent developments in the field of epigenetics have changed the way the covalent modifications were perceived from mere chemical tags to important biological recruiting platforms as well as decisive factors in the process of transcriptional regulation and gene expression. Over the years, the parallel investigations in the area of epigenetics and disease have also shown the significance of the epigenetic modifications as important regulatory nodes that exhibit dysfunction in disease states. In the present scenario where epigenetic therapy is also being considered at par with the conventional therapeutic strategies, this article reviews the role of histone acetylation as an epigenetic mark involved in different biological processes associated with normal as well as abnormal gene expression states, modulation of this acetylation by small molecules and warrants the possibility of acetylation as a therapeutic target.
authors.affiliation: Transcription and Disease Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, P.O., Bangalore, 560 064, India.
authors.forename: B Ruthrotha
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Selvi
authors.forename: Snehajyoti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Modak
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eswaramoorthy
authors.forename: Tapas K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Kundu
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000818:Animals; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006657:Histones