Histone modifications in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

• DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1427725
• Publication Date: 2024-06-25T04:37:40Z
• Authors: Wei Mao; Baoxin Wang; Ruofei Huang; Zhenfeng Sun; Minzhu Yan; Pin Dong
• Keywords: Cancer Epigenetics; Histone Methylation; Epigenomics; Histone code

Head and neck cancer is the main cause of death worldwide, with squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) being second most frequent subtype. HNSCC poses significant health threats due to its high incidence poor prognosis, underscoring urgent need for advanced research. Histone modifications play a crucial role in regulation gene expression influencing various biological processes. In context HNSCC, aberrant histone are increasingly recognized as critical contributors development pathologic progression. This review demonstrates molecular mechanisms, by which such acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, impact pathogenesis HNSCC. The dysregulation histone-modifying enzymes, including acetyltransferases (HATs), deacetylases (HDACs), methyltransferases (HMTs), discussed altering chromatin structure Moreover, we will explore potential targeting therapeutic strategy, highlighting current preclinical clinical studies that investigate deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs) other epigenetic drugs, referring completed ongoing trials on those medications.