We compare the ability of two structurally different classes of epigenetic modulators, namely, histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors containing either a hydroxamate or a mercaptoacetamide as the zinc binding group, to protect cortical neurons in culture from oxidative stress-induced death. This study reveals that some of the mercaptoacetamide-based HDAC inhibitors are fully protective, whereas the hydroxamates show toxicity at higher concentrations. Our present results appear to be consistent with the possibility that the mercaptoacetamide-based HDAC inhibitors interact with a different subset of the HDAC isozymes [less activity at HDAC1 and 2 correlates with less inhibitor toxicity], or alternatively, are interacting selectively with only the cytoplasmic HDACs that are crucial for protection from oxidative stress.

Author's demonstrate that the homeodomain fold has been co-opted during evolution for functions other than sequence-specific DNA binding and suggest that HOP functions as an adaptor protein (between repressor proteins and HDACs) to mediate transcriptional repression.