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Inhibition of histone deacetylase (HDAC) function is a validated therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. Of the several structurally distinct small molecule histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) reported, macrocyclic depsipeptides possess the most complex cap-groups and have demonstrated excellent HDAC inhibition potency and isoform selectivity. Unfortunately, the development of macrocyclic depsipeptides has been hampered in part due to development problems characteristic of large peptides and the complex reaction schemes required for their synthesis. Herein we report that tricyclic ketolide TE-802 is an excellent mimetic for the peptide backbone of macrocyclic HDACi. Compounds derived from this template are particularly selective against HDAC 1 and 2 with nanomolar inhibitory activity. Interrogation of the association between a subset of these compounds and key HDAC isoforms, using AutoDock, enables a molecular description of the interaction between the HDAC enzyme's outer rim and the inhibitors' macrocyclic cap group that are responsible for compound affinity and presumably isoform selectivity.

Strategies to ameliorate the flaws of current chemotherapeutic agents, while maintaining potent anticancer activity, are of particular interest. Agents which can modulate multiple targets may have superior utility and fewer side effects than current single-target drugs. To explore the prospect in cancer therapy of a bivalent agent that combines two complimentary chemo-active groups within a single molecular architecture; we have synthesized dual-acting histone deacetylase and topoisomerase II inhibitors. These dual-acting agents are derived from suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) and anthracycline daunorubicin; prototypical histone deacetylase (HDAC) and topoisomerase II (Topo II) inhibitors respectively. We report herein that these agents present the signatures of inhibition of HDAC and Topo II in both cell-free and whole cell assays. Moreover, these agents potently inhibit the proliferation of representative cancer cell lines.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are endowed with plethora of biological functions including anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, and cognition-enhancing activities. Parsing the structure–activity relationship (SAR) for each disease condition is vital for long-term therapeutic applications of HDACi. We report in the present study specific cap group substitution patterns and spacer-group chain lengths that enhance the antimalarial and antileishmanial activity of aryltriazolylhydroxamates-based HDACi. We identified many compounds that are several folds selectively cytotoxic to the plasmodium parasites compared to standard HDACi. Also, a few of these compounds have antileishmanial activity that rivals that of miltefosine, the only currently available oral agent against visceral leishmaniasis. The anti-parasite properties of several of these compounds tracked well with their anti-HDAC activities. The results presented here provide further evidence on the suitability of HDAC inhibition as a viable therapeutic option to curb infections caused by apicomplexan protozoans and trypanosomatids.

Small molecules bearing hydroxamic acid as the zinc binding group (ZBG) have been the most effective histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) to date. However, concerns about the pharmacokinetic liabilities of the hydroxamic acid moiety have stimulated research efforts aimed at finding alternative non-hydroxamate ZBGs. We have identified 3-hydroxypyridin-2-thione (3-HPT) as a novel ZBG that is compatible with HDAC inhibition. 3-HPT inhibits HDAC 6 and HDAC 8 with an IC50 of 681 nM and 3675 nM respectively. Remarkably, 3-HPT gives no inhibition of HDAC 1. Subsequent optimization led to several novel 3HPT-based HDACi that are selective for HDAC 6 and HDAC 8. Furthermore, a subset of these inhibitors induces apoptosis in various cancer cell lines.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are an emerging class of novel anti-cancer drugs that cause growth arrest, differentiation, and apoptosis of tumor cells. In addition, they have shown promise as anti-parasitic, anti-neurodegenerative, anti-rheumatologic and immunosuppressant agents. To date, several structurally distinct small molecule HDACi have been reported including aryl hydroxamates, benzamides, short-chain fatty acids, electrophilic ketones, and macrocyclic peptides. Macrocyclic HDACi possess the most complex cap-groups which interact with HDAC enzyme’s outer rim and have demonstrated excellent HDAC inhibition potency and isoform selectivity. This review focuses on the recent progress and current state of macrocyclic HDACi.

We described a set of novel histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) equipped with either an antagonist or an agonist of the estrogen receptor (ER) to confer selective activity against breast cancers. These bifunctional compounds potently inhibit HDAC at nanomolar concentrations, and either agonize or antagonize ERα and ERβ. The ER antagonist activities of tamoxifen-HDACi conjugates (Tam-HDACi) are nearly identical to those of tamoxifen. Conversely, ethynyl-estradiol HDACi conjugates (EED-HDACi) have attenuated ER agonist activities relative to the parent ethynyl-estradiol. In silico docking analysis provides structural basis for the trends of ER agonism/antagonism and ER subtype selectivity. Excitingly, lead Tam-HDACi conjugates show anticancer activity that is selectively more potent against MCF-7 (ERα positive breast) compared to MDA-MB-231 (triple negative breast cancer), DU145 (prostate cancer) or Vero (non-cancerous cell line). This dual-targeting approach illustrates the utility of designing small molecules with an emphasis on cell-type selectivity, not merely improved potency, working towards a higher therapeutic index at the earliest stages of drug development.

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