Histone Deacetylases in the Control of Epidermal Homeostasis: From Chromatin Biology toward Therapy

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) induce gene repression and modify the activity of nonhistone proteins. In a new article in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Zhu et al. (2021) demonstrate essential roles for HDAC1/2 in maintaining keratinocyte proliferation and survival in adult epidermis and basal cell carcinoma, thus providing a rationale for using HDAC inhibitors for the treatment of hyperproliferative and neoplastic skin disorders.