HDAC11 adenovirus

Histone deacetylase 11 (HDAC11) is the sole member of the class IV histone deacetylase family. It is a zinc-dependent lysine deacetylase whose classic function is to remove acetyl groups from histone tails, thereby compacting chromatin and repressing transcription. Beyond histones, HDAC11 also acts on non-histone substrates and has been reported to catalyze the removal of long-chain fatty acyl groups from lysine residues, suggesting a broader role at the intersection of epigenetic and metabolic regulation. This gene is highly conserved in vertebrates, is relatively small compared to other HDACs, and encodes an enzyme with a central catalytic pocket coordinated by Zn2+. HDAC11 is expressed in various tissues, with higher expression levels in the brain and testes, and its localization varies between the nucleus and cytoplasm depending on cell type and environment. Functionally, HDAC11 is involved in controlling immune responses (e.g., regulating cytokine secretion by antigen-presenting cells and T cell activation), influencing neuronal and oligodendrocyte biology, and shaping cellular metabolism (including lipid metabolism). In cancer models, dysregulation of HDAC11 is associated with altered cell proliferation, survival, and migration behaviors, and therefore HDAC11 is being investigated as a therapeutic target, with selective inhibitors currently under development.

The HDAC11 adenovirus is a replication-deficient human adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) vector with E1/E3 deletions, genetically engineered to express full-length human HDAC11 fused to a C-terminal V5 epitope tag under the control of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early promoter. This construct enables efficient and transient overexpression of HDAC11 in a variety of mammalian cell types, including many cell types that are difficult to transfect, and is suitable for in vitro and in vivo applications where Ad5 tropism is favorable. Typical applications focus on gain-of-function studies to elucidate the biological functions of HDAC11: researchers can assess chromatin changes by measuring overall or site-specific histone acetylation status, evaluate transcriptome remodeling through RNA sequencing, and assess proteome remodeling through proteomic analysis (including detecting changes in lysine acylation status on candidate substrates). The V5 tag facilitates sensitive detection and can be used for direct Western blotting, immunofluorescence (to determine subcellular localization), immunoprecipitation (to identify interaction partners), and V5-based chromatin analysis (to explore its recruitment to specific genomic regions).