Synthesis and evaluation of novel dual BRD4/HDAC inhibitors.

Epigenetic regulation of gene expression via histone acetylation modulates many cellular processes, including apoptosis, the cell cycle, cell growth and differentiation, and inhibitors are promising drug candidates. We have previously developed inhibitors of BRD4, which recognizes acetylated lysine residue on histones and recruits transcription elongation factor to the transcription start site, while inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDAC), which catalyzes the removal of acetyl groups on histones, are already in clinical use for cancer treatment. Based on the idea that polypharmacological agents with multiple targets would have a more robust action, we set out to develop dual BRD4/HDAC inhibitors.

Structure-Activity Relationship Study of N(6)-Benzoyladenine-Type BRD4 Inhibitors and Their Effects on Cell Differentiation and TNF-α Production.

Bromodomains are epigenetic 'readers' of histone acetylation. The first potent bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibitors, (+)-JQ1 and I-BET762 (also known as GSK525762), were reported in 2010. Some BET inhibitors are already under clinical trial for the treatment of cancers, but so far, only a few chemical scaffolds are available.