NCIt definition : An orally available histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, with potential antineoplastic
activity. Upon oral administration, citarinostat inhibits the activity of HDACs; this
results in an accumulation of highly acetylated chromatin histones, the induction
of chromatin remodeling and an altered pattern of gene expression. This leads to the
inhibition of tumor oncogene transcription, and the selective transcription of tumor
suppressor genes, which inhibit tumor cell division and induce tumor cell apoptosis.
HDAC, an enzyme upregulated in many tumor types, deacetylates chromatin histone proteins.;