Editorial
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World J Biol Chem. May 26, 2010; 1(5): 55-61
Published online May 26, 2010. doi: 10.4331/wjbc.v1.i5.55
Deacetylase inhibitors - focus on non-histone targets and effects
Matthias Ocker
Matthias Ocker, Institute for Surgical Research, Philipps University Marburg, Baldingerstrasse, 35033 Marburg, Germany
Author contributions: Ocker M solely contributed to this paper.
Supported by Supported by a Research Grant of the University Medical Center Giessen and Marburg
Correspondence to: Matthias Ocker, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director, Institute for Surgical Research, Philipps University Marburg, Baldingerstrasse, 35033 Marburg, Germany. ocker@staff.uni-marburg.de
Telephone: +49-6421-5868930 Fax: +49-6421-5868926
Received: April 6, 2010
Revised: April 23, 2010
Accepted: April 30, 2010
Published online: May 26, 2010
Abstract

Inhibitors of protein deacetylases have recently been established as a novel therapeutic principle for several human diseases, including cancer. The original notion of the mechanism of action of these compounds focused on the epigenetic control of transcriptional processes, especially of tumor suppressor genes, by interfering with the acetylation status of nuclear histone proteins, hence the name histone deacetylase inhibitors was coined. Yet, this view could not explain the high specificity for tumor cells and recent evidence now suggests that non-histone proteins represent major targets for protein deacetylase inhibitors and that the post-translational modification of the acetylome is involved in various cellular processes of differentiation, survival and cell death induction.

Keywords: Epigenetics; Histone deacetylase inhibitors; Histone code; Posttranslational modifications; Unfolded protein response