Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) plays a vital role in cellular processes, for example gene expression, cell growth, and apoptosis. Finding drug candidates to inhibit the over activity of HDACs in cancer is a growing area of interest. Inhibitors, thus far, have three important motifs to be studied: the zinc binding group, a hydrophobic linker, and a cap group. By altering these groups on the inhibitor, not only can activity be increased but also selectivity within the classes of HDACs. We present the design of two novel sets of molecules that contain either a 1,2,3-triazole or 1,2,4-triazole. The 1,2,3-triazoles were synthesized using “click chemistry” with a novel pyridyl triazine catalyst. The 1,2,4-triazoles were synthesized utilizing substitution chemistry. This set of molecules was designed after suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) but replaced the hydroxamate with the triazole as the zinc binding group. The activity of these inhibitors against HDAC 1, HDAC 6, and SIRT 1 were tested using the Biomol Fluor de Lys in vitro kits. Though none of the synthesized compounds were strong activators or inhibitors of any of the classes of HDACs, trends were observed that could lead to the design of more potent inhibitors.

Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) plays a vital role in cellular processes, for example gene expression, cell growth, and apoptosis. Finding drug candidates to inhibit the over activity of HDACs in cancer is a growing area of interest. Inhibitors, thus far, have three important motifs to be studied: the zinc binding group, a hydrophobic linker, and a cap group. By altering these groups on the inhibitor, not only can activity be increased but also selectivity within the classes of HDACs. We present the design of two novel sets of molecules that contain either a 1,2,3-triazole or 1,2,4-triazole. The 1,2,3-triazoles were synthesized using “click chemistry” with a novel pyridyl triazine catalyst. The 1,2,4-triazoles were synthesized utilizing substitution chemistry. This set of molecules was designed after suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) but replaced the hydroxamate with the triazole as the zinc binding group. The activity of these inhibitors against HDAC 1, HDAC 6, and SIRT 1 were tested using the Biomol Fluor de Lys in vitro kits. Though none of the synthesized compounds were strong activators or inhibitors of any of the classes of HDACs, trends were observed that could lead to the design of more potent inhibitors.