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Review
. 2024 Nov 15:15:1495221.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1495221. eCollection 2024.

The role of histone post-translational modifications in cancer and cancer immunity: functions, mechanisms and therapeutic implications

Xiaohong Duan  1   2   3 , Zhiyao Xing  4   5   6 , Lu Qiao  7 , Shan Qin  4 , Xuejing Zhao  4 , Yanhua Gong  1   2   3 , Xueren Li  5   6
Affiliations
Review

The role of histone post-translational modifications in cancer and cancer immunity: functions, mechanisms and therapeutic implications

Xiaohong Duan et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

Histones play crucial roles in both promoting and repressing gene expression, primarily regulated through post-translational modifications (PTMs) at specific amino acid residues. Histone PTMs, including methylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, phosphorylation, lactylation, butyrylation, and propionylation, act as important epigenetic markers. These modifications influence not only chromatin compaction but also gene expression. Their importance extends to the treatment and prevention of various human diseases, particularly cancer, due to their involvement in key cellular processes. Abnormal histone modifications and the enzymes responsible for these alterations often serve as critical drivers in tumor cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, and stemness. This review introduces key histone PTMs and the enzymes responsible for these modifications, examining their impact on tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Furthermore, it explores therapeutic strategies targeting histone PTMs and offers recommendations for identifying new potential therapeutic targets.

Keywords: HDAC; HMTs; KDMs; acetylation; cancer; histone PTMs; methylation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of the histone amino terminus. Histones in nucleosomes (two each of H2A. H2B. H3. and H4), Histone tails are subject to various PTMs that affect not only the overall compression of chromatin but also gene expression. Created in BioRender. Xing, Z. (2024) https://BioRender.com/l06b379.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The main methylation sites on the amino termini of H3 and H4. Along with the associated methyltransferases (above) and demethylases (below).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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