Question

Histone deacetylase inhibitors are a class of drugs used as mood stabilizers and anti-epileptics that are also being researched for their efficacy as anti-cancer agents. Histone deacetylase inhibitors block the action of histone deacetylases, which remove acetyl groups from lysine residues in histone tails. How will blocking histone deacetylases affect gene expression in the cell?

Answer 1

Blocking histone deacetylases leads to increased histone acetylation, which relaxes chromatin structure and promotes gene expression. This mechanism can be utilized to reactivate silenced tumor suppressor genes in cancer cells and thereby inhibit cancer progression. Understanding gene expression in cancer cells aids in identifying therapeutic targets and understanding the behavior of the cancer.

Step-by-step explanation:

Blocking histone deacetylases affects gene expression by increasing the acetylation levels of histones. This acetylation unwinds nucleosomes and allows for the underlying DNA to be more transcriptionally active. In the context of cancer, such inhibitors can reactivate genes that have been silenced by epigenetic modifications, thereby disrupting the abnormal growth patterns of tumor cells. By changing the epigenetic landscape, histone deacetylase inhibitors can help to switch back on tumor suppressor genes or other genes that contribute to the re-establishment of normal cellular growth patterns and apoptosis, potentially aiding in the treatment of cancer.

Understanding the gene expression in a cancer cell provides key insights into the specific type of cancer. By analyzing which genes are overexpressed or silenced, researchers can identify potential targets for therapy and better understand the cancer's growth and metastatic behavior. New drugs designed to target epigenetic alterations can thus capitalize on these insights to develop more effective treatment strategies that reprogram cancer cells to cease their uncontrolled growth or to undergo programmed cell death.

Answer 2

Answer: Chromatin will become more open,and gene expression will be increased

Explanation:

The histone deactylase inhibitors are the chemical compounds that inhibits the histone deacetylases. These compounds are used as a class of drugs that is used for psychiatry and mood stabilizer. Most recently it is being used for the inflammatory disease and treatment of cancer.

In this class of drug there is an assistance of histone acetyl transferase which acetylate the lysine residues in core histones which leads to transcriptionally active and less compact chromatin.

Hence, the chromatin will be more open and gene expression is increased.