title: Chromatin-regulating proteins as targets for cancer therapy.
abstract: Chromatin-regulating proteins represent a large class of novel targets for cancer therapy. In the context of radiotherapy, acetylation and deacetylation of histones by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) play important roles in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks generated by ionizing irradiation, and are therefore attractive targets for radiosensitization. Small-molecule inhibitors of HATs (garcinol, anacardic acid and curcumin) and HDACs (vorinostat, sodium butyrate and valproic acid) have been shown to sensitize cancer cells to ionizing irradiation in preclinical models, and some of these molecules are being tested in clinical trials, either alone or in combination with radiotherapy. Meanwhile, recent large-scale genome analyses have identified frequent mutations in genes encoding chromatin-regulating proteins, especially in those encoding subunits of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, in various human cancers. These observations have driven researchers toward development of targeted therapies against cancers carrying these mutations. DOT1L inhibition in MLL-rearranged leukemia, EZH2 inhibition in EZH2-mutant or MLL-rearranged hematologic malignancies and SNF5-deficient tumors, BRD4 inhibition in various hematologic malignancies, and BRM inhibition in BRG1-deficient tumors have demonstrated promising anti-tumor effects in preclinical models, and these strategies are currently awaiting clinical application. Overall, the data collected so far suggest that targeting chromatin-regulating proteins is a promising strategy for tomorrow's cancer therapy, including radiotherapy and molecularly targeted chemotherapy.
authors: Division of Genome Biology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 1-1, Tsukiji 5-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan Department of Radiation Oncology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22, Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan.
authors: Takahiro
authors: T
authors: Oike
authors: Division of Genome Biology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 1-1, Tsukiji 5-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan.
authors: Hideaki
authors: H
authors: Ogiwara
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22, Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan Department of Radiology, Chulalongkorn University, 1873, Rama 4 Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors: Napapat
authors: N
authors: Amornwichet
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22, Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Nakano
authors: Division of Genome Biology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 1-1, Tsukiji 5-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan tkkohno@ncc.go.jp.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Kohno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009154:Mutation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D011878:Radiotherapy
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006657:Histones; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases
keywords: BRM; SWI/SNF complex; chromatin remodeling; histone acetyltransferase; histone modification; synthetic lethality