Discovery of selective chemical probes that inhibit epigenetic factors for acute myeloid leukemia

Some severe forms of leukemia develop because proteins on the epigenetic level lose their regulative function. Now, in a broad international collaboration, UK researchers have identified molecules that can effectively inhibit the dysregulated proteins. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, researchers report the discovery, design, and testing of potential drugs on the cellular level. The findings set the stage for new biological experiments and cancer treatment approaches in the future. To regulate gene expression, cells use chemical signals to mark DNA and the histones around which the DNA is wrapped. This control of gene expression is called epigenetics, and disorders in epigenetic regulation have been found to be crucial for certain types of cancer development.