Improved antiproliferative activity of 1,3,4-thiadiazole-containing histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors by introduction of the heteroaromatic surface recognition motif.

A series of 1,3,4-thiadiazole-containing hydroxamic acids, in accord with the common pharmacophore of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (a Zn(2+) binding moiety-a linker-a surface recognition motif), was identified as submicromolar HDAC inhibitors by our group. In this study, we continued our efforts to develop 1,3,4-thiadiazole bearing hydroxamate analogues by modifying the surface recognition motif. We found that 1,3,4-thiadiazoles having a heteroaromatic substituent showed better HDAC inhibitory activity in enzymatic assay and higher antiproliferative potency in cellular assay compared to SAHA.