Small molecule epigenetic inhibitors targeted to histone lysine methyltransferases and demethylases Journal Article


Authors: Wang, Z.; Patel, D. J.
Article Title: Small molecule epigenetic inhibitors targeted to histone lysine methyltransferases and demethylases
Abstract: Altered chromatin structures and dynamics are responsible for a range of human malignancies, among which the status of histone lysine methylation remains of paramount importance. Histone lysine methylation is maintained by the relative activities of sequence-specific methyltransferase (KMT) writers and demethylase (KDM) erasers, with aberrant enzymatic activities or expression profiles closely correlated with multiple human diseases. Hence, targeting these epigenetic enzymes should provide a promising avenue for pharmacological intervention of aberrantly marked sites within the epigenome. Here we present an up-to-date critical evaluation on the development and optimization of potent small molecule inhibitors targeted to histone KMTs and KDMs, with the emphasis on contributions of structural biology to development of epigenetic drugs for therapeutic intervention. We anticipate that ongoing advances in the development of epigenetic inhibitors should lead to novel drugs that site-specifically target KMTs and KDMs, key enzymes responsible for maintenance of the lysine methylation landscape in the epigenome.
Keywords: drug discovery; inhibitor; dna methylation; structural basis; cancer-cells; set domain; selective inhibitors; small-molecule; histone lysine demethylases; mechanism-based inactivator; h3k79 methylation
Journal Title: Quarterly Reviews of Biophysics
Volume: 46
Issue: 4
ISSN: 0033-5835
Publisher: Cambridge University Press  
Date Published: 2013-11-01
Start Page: 349
End Page: 373
Language: English
ACCESSION: WOS:000330355100003
DOI: 10.1017/s0033583513000085
PROVIDER: wos
PUBMED: 23991894
PMCID: PMC4696758
Notes: Review -- Source: Wos
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  1. Dinshaw J Patel
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  2. Zhan-Xin Wang
    11 Wang