Human histone deacetylase study

The equilibrium of reversible histone lysine acetylation is maintained by histone deacetylases (H D ACs) on one hand and histone acetyltransferases on the other hand. Human histone deacetylases can be separated into four classes [15]. HDACs of class I, II and IV are zinc-dependent amidohydrolases, whereas class III HDACs, also referred to as sirtuins, have a mechanism that is dependent on NAD [16]. As histone deacetylases have been widely studied, it is not surprising that there are also a large number of assays existing that have helped to characterize modulators of these enzymes and subsequently the enzymes themselves. 

In our recent studies we were fortunate to recruit experimental collaborators who have validated computational hits identified by virtual screening of commercially available compound libraries using rigorously validated QSAR models. Examples include anticonvulsants (25), HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors (32), D1 antagonists (33), antitumor compounds (34), beta-lactamase inhibitors (35), human histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors... 

One of the most-studied covalent modifications is the acetylation of the lysine residues of histone tails. The acetylation state of lysines of nucleosomal histones modulates chromatin structure and regulates gene transcriptional activity. The balance of lysine acetylation is controlled by the antagonistic action of two enzyme families histone deacetylases (HDACs) and histone acetyltransferases (HATs). In humans there are essentially three main HDAC subclasses [6]. 

Wang, D.-F., Helquist, P., Wiech, N.L. and Wiest, O. (2005) Toward selective histone deacetylase inhihitor design homology modeling, docking studies, and molecular dynamics simulations of human class I histone deacetylases. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 48, 6936-6947. 

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