Open AccessClass IIa HDACs: from important roles in differentiation to possible implications in tumourigenesis
Author(s) -
Clocchiatti Andrea,
Florean Cristina,
Brancolini Claudio
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2011.01321.x
Subject(s) - hdac4 , mef2 , biology , epigenetics , psychological repression , histone , genetics , histone deacetylase , regulation of gene expression , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription factor , gene expression , enhancer
• Introduction• General concepts on class IIa HDACs‐ Regulation of subcellular localization‐ Binding partners‐ Catalytic activity‐ Class IIa HDAC orthologues in model organisms• HDAC4‐ HDAC4 and differentiation‐ HDAC4 and cancer• HDAC5‐ HDAC5 and differentiation‐ HDAC5 and cancer• HDAC7‐ HDAC7 and vascular endothelium‐ Is HDAC7 a negative regulator of cell proliferation?‐ HDAC7 and cancer• HDAC9‐ HDAC9 and differentiation‐ HDAC9 and cancer• ConclusionsHistone deacetylases (HDACs) are important regulators of gene expression. Specific structural features and distinct regulative mechanisms rationalize the separation of the 18 different human HDACs into four classes. The class II comprises a heterogeneous group of nuclear and cytosolic HDACs involved in the regulation of several cellular functions, not just limited to transcriptional repression. In particular, HDAC4, 5, 7 and 9 belong to the subclass IIa and share many transcriptional partners, including members of the MEF2 family. Genetic studies in mice have disclosed the fundamental contribution of class IIa HDACs to specific developmental/differentiation pathways. In this review, we discuss about the recent literature, which hints a role of class IIa HDACs in the development, growth and aggressiveness of cancer cells.