HDAC8 as a target in drug discovery: Function, structure and design.

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) have emerged as prominent therapeutic targets in drug discovery. Among the members of the HDAC family, HDAC8 exhibits distinct structural and physiological features from other members of the class Ⅰ HDACs. In addition to histones, numerous non-histone substrates such as structural maintenance of chromosomes 3 (SMC3), p53, estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα), etc.