Authors: Santini, V.; Gozzini, A.; Ferrari, G.

Source: Current Drug Metabolism, Volume 8, Number 4, May 2007 , pp. 383-394(12)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

Epigenetic modifications are reversible chromatin rearrangements that in normal cells modulate gene expression, without changing DNA sequence. Alterations of this equilibrium, mainly affecting the two interdependent mechanisms of DNA methylation and histone acetylation, are frequently involved in the genesis of cancer. The histone code, regulating gene expression, is constituted by the combination of different acetylated lysine residues of histones. In neoplastic cells, the abundance of deacetylated histones is usually associated with DNA hypermethylation and gene silencing. Several compounds, known to have in vitro antineoplastic activity, have been eventually shown to act as histone deacetylase inhibitors. Thus, HDAC inhibitors have been successfully introduced in clinical trials as antitumour agents. They are classified according to their chemical structures and are endowed with different specificity and affinity for the HDACs of classes 1, 2, 4. Among HDAC inhibitors, the most potent are the hydroxamic acid derivatives, like SAHA, which has been recently approved for therapy of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Other classes of HDAC inhibitors are short chain fatty acids (SCFA), benzamides, epoxyketone and non-epoxyketone containing cyclic tetrapeptides, and hybrid molecules. SCFA, although widely used (especially valproic acid) and clinically efficacious, have weak HDAC inhibition constants. Benzamides, like MS-275, and cyclic peptides, like depsipeptide, have been studied in numerous clinical trials and demonstrated low toxicity and activity in solid and haematological neoplasms. HDAC inhibitors are also potent radiation sensitizers. Their future in oncology may thus be based on their activity as single agents and on their synergy with the hypomethylating drugs and with chemo- and radiotherapeutics.

Keywords: HDACinhibitors; epigenetic therapy; histone acetylation

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138920007780655397

Affiliations: 1: UF di Ematologia, Universita degli Studi di Firenze, AOU Careggi, Viale GB Morgagni 85, 50134 Firenze, Italy.

Publication date: 2007-05-01

More about this publication?

• Current Drug Metabolism aims to cover all the latest and outstanding developments in drug metabolism and disposition. The journal serves as an international forum for the publication of timely reviews in drug metabolism. Current Drug Metabolism is an essential journal for academic, clinical, government and pharmaceutical scientists who wish to be kept informed and up-to-date with the latest and most important developments. The journal covers the following areas:
  
  In vitro systems including CYP-450; enzyme induction and inhibition; drug-drug interactions and enzyme kinetics; pharmacokinetics, toxicokinetics, species scaling and extrapolations; P-glycoprotein and transport carriers; target organ toxicity and interindividual variability; drug metabolism and disposition studies; extrahepatic metabolism; phase I and phase II metabolism; recent developments for the identification of drug metabolites and adducts.

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