Nonhistone proteins, including p53, p63, and GATA-1, are also influential substrates of HDACs [15], [16], [17], [18], [19] and [20].

HDAC inhibitors block proliferation of transformed cells in culture by inducing cell cycle arrest, differentiation, and/or apoptosis and inhibit tumor growth in animal models. Various mechanisms of actions are continuously being discovered. Approximately 2% of genes are functionally altered after exposure to HDAC inhibitors; some genes, like the cell cycle inhibitors p21WAF1/CIP1, gelsolin, p27Kip, p16INK4a, and p15INK4b are induced after exposure to HDAC SB203580 manufacturer inhibitors, whereas other genes, such as cyclin D1 and NFκB, are repressed [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30], [31] and [32]. Valproic acid, a short-chain fatty acid that has been in clinical use for more than three decades for the therapy of seizures and bipolar disorder, also inhibits HDAC. At therapeutic levels, valproic acid directly inhibits class I and II HDACs (except HDAC6 and HDAC10), with resultant hyperacetylation of histones H3 and H4. After treatment with valproic acid, there is altered expression of multiple genes, selleck screening library including the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21Cip1, glycogen synthase kinase-3ß, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors,

and down-regulation of the expression of the antiapoptotic protein kinase C α and ε isoforms [33], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38] and [39]. Valproic acid has displayed potent in vitro and in vivo antitumor activities against neuroblastoma, glioma, leukemia, breast cancer, multiple myeloma, and prostate cancer lines [9], [40], [41], [42], [43], [44],

[45], [46] and [47]. Even though valproic acid is a potent teratogen in noncommitted cell lineages, it is otherwise usually well tolerated; in fact, it may even protect against neurotoxicity observed with some drugs. However, although it has been incidentally used in some patients with Ibrutinib supplier malignancies, to date, there are no reported trials of valproic acid alone or with other agents in a controlled clinical trial setting. In vitro, the cytotoxicity of valproic acid is potentiated by hydralazine, a noncytotoxic drug. Clinical efforts to evaluate epigenetic modulation in solid tumors are in very early stages. Juergens et al. reported the outcome of a phase I-II trial in heavily pretreated patients (more than three lines of chemotherapy) with non–small cell lung cancer treated with a combination of the DNMT and HDAC inhibitors 5-azacytidine and entinostat, respectively, and noted a 35% clinical benefit rate, with two objective responses and ten subjects with disease stabilization [48]. As in most phase I trials, the current investigation was conducted in heavily pretreated patients with limited standard therapeutic options, and nonetheless, intriguing activity was seen.