HDAC Inhibitors Important for Cancer Treatment

Abstract

“P53 is a protein that is part of the cell cycle and acts as a checkpoint for DNA to ensure there is not damage. Currently, it is known that there are P53 mutants in over 50% of cancers,” said Dr. Montgomery. Dr. Montgomery explained that an enzyme called HDAC, histone deacetylase, acts to silence genes and decrease transcription, which is the coding for new DNA copies. An HDAC inhibitor acts to overexpress genes resulting in a decreased amount of DNA available and cell cycle arrest. HDAC inhibitors have been introduced into therapeutic drugs and could potentially have anti-inflammatory properties.