Advances in mechanistic study of control of oxidative stress injury through modulating HDAC6 activity

Abstract Oxidative stress is defined as injury resulting from the disturbance on dynamic equilibrium of redox environment due to over-production of active/ radical oxygen exceeding the anti-oxidative ability in the body. It is a key step of genesis and development of various diseases. Oxidative stress is modulated by different factors and events, including modification of histone, the core of nucleosome. Modification of histone includes acetylation and deacetylation on certain amino acid residues; the process is catalyzed by different enzymes. Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is a unique deaetylating protease; it also catalyzes deacetylation of different non-histone substrates so as to regulate various physiologic processes. The intimate relationship between HDAC6 and oxidative stress has been demonstrated by different lines of study. The present paper aims at summarizing the data obtained from mechanistic study between HDAC6 and oxidative stress, in order to provide guidance for further investigations in term of mechanistic characterization and drug development.