Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors in the Therapy of Cancer: Much to Learn

Abstract

“The characterization to date of the multiple zinc-dependent HDACs and discovery of HDACi represent encouraging progress toward a new,potentially effective, therapy for cancers and other disease.”

KEYWORDS::

• DNA double strand breaks
• HDAC6-specific inhibitor
• histone deacetylase
• histone deacetylase inhibitor

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Joann Perrone and Mabel Miranda for their assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

These studies were supported, in part, by the National Institute of Cancer Grant P30CA08748-44, The David Koch Foundation, The CapCure Foundation, and Experimental Therapeutics at Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Columbia University hold patents on suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA, vorinostat) and related compounds that were exclusively licensed in 2001 to ATON Pharma, a biotechnology start-up that was wholly acquired by Merck, Inc., in April 2004. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

These studies were supported, in part, by the National Institute of Cancer Grant P30CA08748-44, The David Koch Foundation, The CapCure Foundation, and Experimental Therapeutics at Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Columbia University hold patents on suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA, vorinostat) and related compounds that were exclusively licensed in 2001 to ATON Pharma, a biotechnology start-up that was wholly acquired by Merck, Inc., in April 2004. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.