not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown DZNep: A methyltransferase modulator for disease mitigation

Introduction3-Deazaneplanocin A (DZNep) was developed in the mid 1980s as an inhibitor of the enzyme S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) [1,2]. From the very start, the compound was described as leading to an increase in the cellular abundance of S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) and to a decrease in the viability of cancer cells in vitro . In the nearly forty years since its first description, DZNep has been reported to have antiviral, as well as anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. The body of literature surrounding DZNep suggests that in addition to its potential role as a cancer therapeutic agent, it can also mitigate the negative consequences of a wide range of toxic and other pathological exposures. While most of its activity has traditionally been attributed to inhibition of the histone methyltransferase EZH2, the range of activity of DZNep is actually much broader. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms and endpoints associated with the use of DZNep in mammalian systems.