The Role of HDACs as Leukemia Therapy Targets using HDI

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are the enzymes causing deacetylation of histone and non-histone substrates. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs) are a family of drugs eliminating the effect of HDACs in malignant cells via inhibition of HDACs. Due to extensive effects upon gene expression through interference with fusion genes and transcription factors, HDACs cause proliferation and migration of malignant cells, inhibiting apoptosis in these cells via tumor suppressor genes. Overexpression evaluation of HDACs in leukemias may be a new approach for diagnosis of leukemia, which can present new targets for leukemia therapy. HDIs inhibit HDACs, increase acetylation in histones, cause up- or downregulation in some genes and result in differentiation, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction in malignant cells via cytotoxic effects. Progress in identification of new HDIs capable of tracking several targets in the cell can result in novel achievements in treatment and increase survival in patients. In this review, we examine the role of HDACs as therapeutic targets in various types of leukemia as well as the role of HDIs in inhibition of HDACs for treatment of these malignancies.