Phenylalanine-containing hydroxamic acids as selective inhibitors of class IIb histone deacetylases (HDACs).

We synthesized biarylalanine-containing hydroxamic acids and tested them on immunoprecipitated HDAC1 and HDAC6 and show a subtype selectivity for HDAC6 that was confirmed in cells by Western blot (tubulin vs histones). We obtained an X-ray structure with a HDAC6-selective inhibitor with the bacterial deacetylase HDAH. Docking studies were carried out using HDAC1 and HDAC6 protein models. Antiproliferative activity was shown on cancer cells for selected compounds.