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HKMT (histone lysine methyltransferase) activity refers to the
enzymatic methylation of lysine residues on histone proteins by histone lysine
methyltransferases. HKMT enzymes regulate chromatin structure, transcription,
cell differentiation, DNA-damage responses and maintenance of cellular identity.
Different HKMTs act on distinct histone residues, including H3K4, H3K9, H3K27,
H3K36 and H4K20, and can produce either transcriptionally activating or
repressive chromatin states depending on the site and degree of methylation.
Abnormal HKMT activity is common in cancer and can promote oncogenic
transcriptional programs or epigenetic silencing of tumour-suppressive genes.
The desired anticancer modulation is therefore enzyme- and
context-dependent. HKMT activity is a broad umbrella
target of general histone lysine methyltransferase inhibition;
specific enzymes such as SUV39H1, EZH2, SETDB1 or G9a/EHMT2.
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