Protein / target

Histone deacetylase 3

HDAC3O15379Homo sapiensSwiss-Prot
Clinically validated
Therapeutic maturity
8
Approved medicines
30
Clinical trials
Small-molecule tractable
Druggability
Approved Drug

Protein at a glance

Biological role

Histone isonicotinyllysine deisonicotinylase activity

Primary system

Endocrine & metabolic

Strongest disease association

neurodevelopmental disorder

Genetic literature evidence · score 0.67

Therapeutic maturity

Clinically validated target

8 approved medicines against this target

Druggability

Small molecule

Open Targets tractability · Approved Drug

Clinical development

8 approved · 6 in clinical development

30 linked trials

Derived from structured UniProt, Open Targets and literature data on this page.

Protein profile

UniProt 2026_02

Canonical identity and biological annotation from UniProt.

Function

Histone deacetylase that catalyzes the deacetylation of lysine residues on the N-terminal part of the core histones (H2A, H2B, H3 and H4), and some other non-histone substrates (PubMed:21030595, PubMed:21444723, PubMed:23911289, PubMed:25301942, PubMed:28167758, PubMed:28497810, PubMed:32404892, PubMed:22230954). Histone deacetylation gives a tag for epigenetic repression and plays an important role in transcriptional regulation, cell cycle progression and developmental events (PubMed:23911289). Histone deacetylases act via the formation of large multiprotein complexes, such as N-Cor repressor complex, which activate the histone deacetylase activity (PubMed:23911289, PubMed:22230954). Participates in the BCL6 transcriptional repressor activity by deacetylating the H3 'Lys-27' (H3K27) on enhancer elements, antagonizing EP300 acetyltransferase activity and repressing proximal gene expression (PubMed:23911289). Acts as a molecular chaperone for shuttling phosphorylated NR2C1 to PML bodies for sumoylation (By similarity). Contributes, together with XBP1 isoform 1, to the activation of NFE2L2-mediated HMOX1 transcription factor gene expression in a PI(3)K/mTORC2/Akt-dependent signaling pathway leading to endothelial cell (EC) survival under disturbed flow/oxidative stress (PubMed:25190803). Regulates both the transcriptional activation and repression phases of the circadian clock in a deacetylase activity-independent manner (By similarity). During the activation phase, promotes the accumulation of ubiquitinated BMAL1 at the E-boxes and during the repression phase, blocks FBXL3-mediated CRY1/2 ubiquitination and promotes the interaction of CRY1 and BMAL1 (By similarity). The NCOR1-HDAC3 complex regulates the circadian expression of the core clock gene BMAL1 and the genes involved in lipid metabolism in the liver (By similarity). Also functions as a deacetylase for non-histone targets, such as KAT5, MEF2D, MAPK14, RARA and STAT3 (PubMed:15653507, PubMed:21030595, PubMed:21444723, PubMed:25301942, PubMed:28167758). Serves as a corepressor of RARA, mediating its deacetylation and repression, leading to inhibition of RARE DNA element binding (PubMed:28167758). In association with RARA, plays a role in the repression of microRNA-10a and thereby in the inflammatory response (PubMed:28167758). In addition to protein deacetylase activity, also acts as a protein-lysine deacylase by recognizing other acyl groups: catalyzes removal of (2E)-butenoyl (crotonyl), lactoyl (lactyl), 2-hydroxyisobutanoyl (2-hydroxyisobutyryl) and isonicotinyl acyl groups from lysine residues, leading to protein decrotonylation, delactylation, de-2-hydroxyisobutyrylation and deisonicotinylation, respectively (PubMed:28497810, PubMed:29192674, PubMed:34608293, PubMed:34545082, PubMed:35044827). Catalyzes decrotonylation of MAPRE1/EB1 (PubMed:34608293). Mediates delactylation NBN/NBS1, thereby inhibiting DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) via homologous recombination (HR) (PubMed:38961290)

Subcellular location

NucleusChromosomeCytoplasmCytoplasm, cytosol
Domains and Gene Ontology detail (64)

Gene Ontology

  • Cchromatin
  • Ccytoplasm
  • Ccytosol
  • Chistone deacetylase complex
  • Cmitotic spindle
  • Cnucleoplasm
  • Cnucleus
  • Ctranscription repressor complex
  • Fchromatin binding
  • Fchromatin DNA binding
  • Fcyclin binding
  • FDNA-binding transcription factor binding

428 aa · 49 kDa · 2 isoforms

Biological roles

Reactome v97

What this protein does, drawn together from its UniProt function, Gene Ontology terms and Reactome pathways.

Transcriptional regulationUniProt · GO · ReactomeImmune signallingUniProt · GO · ReactomeApoptosis & cell deathGOKinase signallingGOProteolysisGOMetabolic enzyme activityUniProt
View supporting evidence

Transcriptional regulation

  • ·Histone deacetylase that catalyzes the deacetylation of lysine residues on the N-termina…
  • ·transcription repressor complex
  • ·DNA-binding transcription factor binding
  • ·transcription corepressor activity

Immune signalling

  • ·Histone deacetylase that catalyzes the deacetylation of lysine residues on the N-termina…
  • ·negative regulation of interleukin-1 production
  • ·Differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells to T helper 2 cells (Th2 cells)

Apoptosis & cell death

  • ·negative regulation of apoptotic process
  • ·positive regulation of neuron apoptotic process
  • ·positive regulation of type B pancreatic cell apoptotic process

Kinase signalling

  • ·positive regulation of protein phosphorylation

Proteolysis

  • ·ubiquitin-specific protease binding

Metabolic enzyme activity

  • ·Histone deacetylase that catalyzes the deacetylation of lysine residues on the N-termina…
View underlying pathways (25)

Concepts derived from UniProt GO Reactome — each badge above shows which sources supported that role.

Interaction neighbourhood

STRING v12.0

Proteins with the strongest functional or physical association. Node size and line weight reflect STRING confidence; hover or select a partner to inspect one association.

TBL1XR1TBL1XNCOR2NCOR1TBL1YGPS2EZH2SIN3ARBBP4PPARGHDAC3

10 strongest partners — larger node and heavier line mean higher confidence

Functional and physical associations from STRING v12.0. Only associations with this protein are drawn — partner-to-partner links are not part of this evidence.

Drugs targeting this protein

1

Whether each drug engages this protein directly or through a complex, and how many other targets are recorded for it. Direct binders with few recorded targets are listed first.

vorinostat
ApprovedInhibitor

Histone deacetylase 3 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, primary cutaneous T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, primary cutaneous T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, neoplasm

Direct interaction with this protein · 1 of 4 recorded protein targets

ChEMBL mechanism, action type and target identity. Open Targets clinical status and indications.

Translational evidence

Open Targets 26

Why this target matters therapeutically — disease associations, drugs in development, tractability and safety, from Open Targets.

Strongest genetic associations

Human genetic evidence — the most direct causal link between this target and a disease.

neurodevelopmental disorder0.67

Genetic literature · overall 0.51

Highest-confidence therapeutic associations

Diseases where a drug acting on this target has already reached clinical development.

primary cutaneous T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma0.92

Clinical · overall 0.57

plasma cell myeloma0.92

Clinical · overall 0.57

neoplasm0.89

Clinical · overall 0.57

Duchenne muscular dystrophy0.85

Clinical · overall 0.52

T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma0.85

Clinical · overall 0.52

Highest overall evidence

Remaining associations by Open Targets' aggregated evidence score.

neurodegenerative disease0.53

Pathway

peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified0.52

Clinical

mature T-cell and NK-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma0.50

Clinical

breast cancer0.40

Literature

Show all associations
plasma cell myeloma0.57
neoplasm0.57
primary cutaneous T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma0.57
neurodegenerative disease0.53
Duchenne muscular dystrophy0.52
T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma0.52
peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified0.52
neurodevelopmental disorder0.51
mature T-cell and NK-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma0.50
breast cancer0.40

Open Targets ranks 631 associations for this target and we store the top 10 by aggregated score. The long tail is largely literature co-mention and RNA-expression evidence, not evidence that this target drives those diseases.

Known drugs · 14 total

CUDC-101Phase 1

breast cancer · gastric cancer · liver cancer

TACEDINALINEPhase 3

non-small cell lung carcinoma · exocrine pancreatic carcinoma

ROMIDEPSINApproval

T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma · peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified · primary cutaneous T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

MOCETINOSTATPhase 2

non-small cell lung carcinoma · Hodgkins lymphoma · classic Hodgkin lymphoma

GIVINOSTATApproval

Duchenne muscular dystrophy · Duchenne muscular dystrophy · acquired polycythemia vera

QUISINOSTATPhase 2

primary cutaneous T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma · ovarian carcinoma · malignant epithelial tumor of ovary

PANOBINOSTATApproval

plasma cell myeloma · neoplasm · type 2 diabetes mellitus

VORINOSTATApproval

T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma · primary cutaneous T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma · primary cutaneous T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

ENTINOSTATApproval

neoplasm · breast cancer · colorectal cancer

FIMEPINOSTATPhase 2

diffuse large B-cell lymphoma · thyroid cancer · poorly differentiated thyroid gland carcinoma

Tractability

SM · Approved DrugSM · Structure with LigandSM · High-Quality LigandSM · Druggable FamilyAB · GO CC high confPR · LiteraturePR · UniProt UbiquitinationPR · Database UbiquitinationPR · Half-life DataPR · Small Molecule BinderOC · Approved Drug

Safety liabilities

regulation of catalytic activity

Clinical trials

30

Trials of drugs that target this protein — reached indirectly through those drugs, so a trial listed here studies the drug, not the protein.

Show remaining trials (24)

TERMINATED · via vorinostat · NCT01483690

COMPLETED · via vorinostat · NCT03259503

ClinicalTrials.gov via the drug-target graph.

Forefront confidence

Synthesis

Our own weighting of the evidence behind each disease association. Human genetics and clinical evidence count for most; literature co-mention counts for little, because two entities sharing an abstract is not evidence that one drives the other.

neoplasmModerately supported
0.72
agreement 0.560.87
Clinical83%Literature18%

Open Targets aggregate 0.57 · 2 independent evidence families

plasma cell myelomaModerately supported
0.71
agreement 0.560.87
Clinical90%Literature10%

Open Targets aggregate 0.57 · 2 independent evidence families

primary cutaneous T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomaModerately supported
0.70
agreement 0.550.85
Clinical96%Literature4%

Open Targets aggregate 0.57 · 2 independent evidence families

Duchenne muscular dystrophyModerately supported
0.64
agreement 0.480.80
Clinical100%Literature0%

Open Targets aggregate 0.52 · 2 independent evidence families

T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomaModerately supported
0.64
agreement 0.480.79
Clinical99%Literature1%

Open Targets aggregate 0.52 · 2 independent evidence families

This ranking differs from Open Targets' own: re-weighting moves genetically-evidenced diseases above more heavily co-mentioned ones. The evidence agreement range shows how closely the independent evidence families agree — it is not a statistical confidence interval, and nothing here is fitted to outcome data. Derived from Open Targets evidence types under Forefront weighting; the underlying per-type scores are shown above so the calculation can be checked.

What's happening now

14

Recent activity around this target, drawn from one canonical event stream. Every item is reached through a drug that targets this protein, so each event is news about that drug rather than about the protein directly.

  1. New publication2024-05-01
    Ketogenic Diet Alters the Epigenetic and Immune Landscape of Prostate Cancer to Overcome Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Blockade Therapy.

    Cancer research · 2024 · 47 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  2. New publication2023-08-24
    Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid (SAHA) Is a Driver Molecule of Neuroplasticity: Implication for Neurological Diseases.

    Biomolecules · 2023 · 9 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  3. New publication2015-06-20
    Phase I study of the mTOR inhibitor ridaforolimus and the HDAC inhibitor vorinostat in advanced renal cell carcinoma and other solid tumors.

    Investigational new drugs · 2015 · 43 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  4. New publication2015-03-20
    Vorinostat in patients with advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma who have progressed on previous chemotherapy (VANTAGE-014): a phase 3, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

    The Lancet. Oncology · 2015 · 151 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  5. New publication2014-11-20
    A phase 1 study of vorinostat maintenance after autologous transplant in high-risk lymphoma.

    Leukemia & lymphoma · 2015 · 6 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  6. New publication2014-03-12
    A multicentre phase II study of vorinostat in patients with relapsed or refractory indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma.

    British journal of haematology · 2014 · 89 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  7. New publication2014-03-11
    HIV-1 expression within resting CD4+ T cells after multiple doses of vorinostat.

    The Journal of infectious diseases · 2014 · 203 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  8. New publication2014-01-25
    Phase II trial of vorinostat in advanced melanoma.

    Investigational new drugs · 2014 · 46 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  9. New publication2013-11-30
    Vorinostat plus tacrolimus and mycophenolate to prevent graft-versus-host disease after related-donor reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation: a phase 1/2 trial.

    The Lancet. Oncology · 2014 · 102 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  10. New publication2012-07-25
    Administration of vorinostat disrupts HIV-1 latency in patients on antiretroviral therapy.

    Nature · 2012 · 984 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  11. New publication2012-04-16
    Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of the oral histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat in Japanese patients with relapsed or refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

    The Journal of dermatology · 2012 · 17 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

  12. New publication2012-01-11
    Evaluation of safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, in the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer in a phase I clinical trial.

    International journal of clinical oncology · 2013 · 28 citations · Europe PMC · via vorinostat

Objective event titles are shown unmodified; the event kind and significance line are derived from structured fields. Forefront AttentionEvent stream aggregating Europe PMC Regulatory filings ClinicalTrials.gov.