Role of histone deacetylase inhibitors in cell growth arrest and apoptosis

The acetylation status of histones and non-histone proteins regulate chromatin remodeling and gene transcription. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), a promising therapeutic approach to cancer, are characteristic of causing accumulation of acetylated histones and other transcriptional regulators. Recent studies demonstrate that HDACi is able to arrest the cell cycle in G1 and/or G2 phase, and to induce apoptosis in a variety form of transformed cells with little toxicity to normal cells. However, the exact antitumor mechanisms of HDACi are still unclear. This review provides an update on the current knowledge of HDACi with a focus on HDACi-regulated cell growth arrest and apoptosis.