From bench to bedside: translating the histone deacetylase inhibitors into prostate cancer therapies

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a major global health challenge and is among the most frequently diagnosed malignancies in men. While early-stage PCa often progresses slowly, advanced disease is associated with significant morbidity and remains difficult to treat due to therapeutic resistance and limited efficacy in metastatic settings. Epigenetic modulation, particularly through inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs), has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. HDACs regulate gene expression and essential cellular processes by controlling the acetylation status of histone and non-histone proteins. Their dysregulation contributes to PCa progression, notably through aberrant androgen receptor signalling, a key driver of the disease. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) exhibit antitumor activity by inducing apoptosis, causing cell cycle arrest, and inhibiting angiogenesis, particularly in haematological malignancies. However, monotherapy in solid tumours such as PCa has produced limited clinical benefit due to resistance mechanisms, incomplete therapeutic responses, and adverse effects that hinder sustained treatment. Notably, combining HDACis with chemotherapeutic or targeted agents has demonstrated synergistic potential, as HDAC inhibition can sensitize tumour cells to cytotoxic stress by altering chromatin structure, enhancing DNA damage responses, and reactivating silenced tumour suppressor genes. To fully harness their therapeutic potential, further studies are needed to improve the pharmacokinetic properties, isoform selectivity, and to identify predictive biomarkers for patient stratification. Advancing HDACi-based combination strategies may ultimately overcome current treatment barriers and improve clinical outcomes in PCa management.