Histone acetylation and disease

Differential acetylation of histones and transcription factors plays an imp ortant regulatory role in developmental processes, proliferation and differ entiation. Aberrant acetylation or deacetylation leads to such diverse diso rders as leukemia, epithelial cancers, fragile X syndrome and Rubinstein-Ta ybi syndrome. The various groups of histone acetyltransferases (CBP/p300, G NAT, MYST, nuclear receptor coactivators and TAFII250) and histone deacetyl ases are surveyed with regard to their possible or known involvement in can cer progression and human developmental disorders. Current treatment strate gies are discussed, which are still mostly limited to histone deacetylase i nhibitors such as trichostatin A and butyrate.