Mi2-α Inhibitors

The chemical class of Mi2-α inhibitors is not well-established due to the absence of specific small molecule inhibitors targeting this protein directly. Instead, the focus has primarily been on modulating the protein's function through indirect means, particularly by manipulating the chromatin state. Many of the chemicals listed above are inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs). These inhibitors act by preventing the removal of acetyl groups from histone proteins, a modification that typically relaxes chromatin and allows greater access to DNA for transcription factors and other proteins involved in gene expression, including components of the NuRD complex such as Mi2-α.

The indirect inhibition of Mi2-α involves utilizing small molecules to perturb the broader network of chromatin remodeling and histone modification. The substances listed operate by modifying the epigenetic landscape, which in turn can modulate the activity of Mi2-α as it is a part of the larger complex that relies on the acetylation status of histones to properly engage with the chromatin structure. By maintaining a hyperacetylated state through HDAC inhibition, these compounds maintain an environment that is less conducive to the chromatin remodeling activity that Mi2-α participates in, effectively altering its function in the regulation of gene expression. Additionally, disrupting protein-protein interactions within the NuRD complex through the use of peptidomimetics or inhibiting proteins that recruit Mi2-α to chromatin, such as ZEB1, represents another strategy to modulate Mi2-α activity indirectly.