3-Deazaneplanocin, HCl salt (CAS 120964-45-6)

3-Deazaneplanocin A (DZNep), the hydrochloride salt form, is a potent inhibitor of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, an enzyme critical in the regulation of methylation processes within cells. By inhibiting this enzyme, DZNep leads to the accumulation of S-adenosylhomocysteine, which in turn acts as a strong feedback inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferases. This inhibition affects a wide array of methylation-driven processes, most notably the methylation of histones. DZNep has been extensively studied in the field of epigenetics due to its impact on histone methylation. It notably reduces the levels of trimethylated lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me3), a mark laid down by the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) and associated with gene silencing. The decrease in H3K27me3 leads to the reactivation of previously silenced genes, making DZNep a valuable tool for studying gene expression regulation and epigenetic memory. In research settings, DZNep has been used to explore the mechanisms underlying epigenetic changes in various biological processes, including cellular differentiation, proliferation, and the maintenance of pluripotency. Its ability to alter histone methylation without DNA modification makes it a useful probe for understanding the dynamic nature of chromatin and its role in regulating gene expression. The chemical′s action demonstrates the complex link between enzymatic processes that govern methyl group transfer and broader genomic architectural changes.