Cited by 272Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ResearchGenomics and Chromatin DynamicsEpigenetics and DNA Methylation

Histone Acetylation Regulates Intracellular pH

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McBrian, Matthew A., Behbahan, Iman Saramipoor, Ferrari, Roberto, Su, Trent, Huang, Ta-Wei, Li, Kunwu, Hong, Candice S., Christofk, Heather R. +3 more·2013·Molecular Cell

Abstract

Differences in global levels of histone acetylation occur in normal and cancer cells, although the reason why cells regulate these levels has been unclear. Here we demonstrate a role for histone acetylation in regulating intracellular pH (pH(i)). As pH(i) decreases, histones are globally deacetylated by histone deacetylases (HDACs), and the released acetate anions are coexported with protons out of the cell by monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs), preventing further reductions in pH(i). Conversely, global histone acetylation increases as pH(i) rises, such as when resting cells are induced to proliferate. Inhibition of HDACs or MCTs decreases acetate export and lowers pH(i), particularly compromising pH(i) maintenance in acidic environments. Global deacetylation at low pH is reflected at a genomic level by decreased abundance and extensive redistribution of acetylation throughout the genome. Thus, acetylation of chromatin functions as a rheostat to regulate pH(i) with important implications for mechanism of action and therapeutic use of HDAC inhibitors.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.molcel.2012.10.025

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  • Cells are capable of buffering against extracellular reductions in pH to maintain alkaline pH of the cytoplasm.

    “Cells are capable of buffering against extracellular reductions in pH to maintain alkaline pH of the cytoplasm (Johnson et al., 1976; L’allemain et al., 1984; Lindström and Sehlin, 1984; Pouyssegur et al., 1985; McBrian et al., 2013).”

    From Toward Best Practices for Controlling Mammalian Cell Culture Environments (2022) · cites this paper as McBrian et al., 2013

    The Discussion says cells regulate intracellular pH in response to extracellular pH changes, and the Introduction describes proton export that resists further intracellular acidification. But the Results report that intracellular pH fell as extracellular pH fell, reaching 6.3; the paper does not establish that cells generally maintain an alkaline cytoplasm under those conditions. The Discussion presents alkaline intracellular pH in acidic cancer environments as a possibility. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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  1. Friis RM Schultz MC 2009 Untargeted tail acetylation of histones in chromatin: lessons from yeast Biochem Cell Biol 87 107 116 19234527

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Authors
McBrian, M. A., Behbahan, I. S., Ferrari, R., Su, T., Huang, T.-W., Li, K., Hong, C. S., Christofk, H. R., Vogelauer, M., Seligson, D. B., & Kurdistani, S. K.
Affiliations
University of California, Los Angeles (US)
Corresponding author
Kurdistani, Siavash K.
Venue
Molecular Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-01
Volume
49
Issue
2
Pages
310-321
ISSN
1097-2765 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1984600164
Cited by
272
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 1
FWCI
4.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Molecular Cell (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • American Cancer Society
  • California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
  • California Institute of Regenerative Medicine
  • National Institutes of Health (1dp2od006516-01)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
Keywords
histone acetylation, intracellular pH, histone deacetylase, monocarboxylate transporters, chromatin acetylation, pH homeostasis, histone deacetylase inhibitors, cancer cells, cell proliferation
MeSH terms
Acetates, Acetylation, Chromatin, Gene Expression Regulation, Glucose, Glutamine, HeLa Cells, Histone Deacetylases, Histones, Humans, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Hydroxamic Acids, Intracellular Fluid, Niacinamide, Protein Processing, Post-Translational, Sequence Analysis, RNA, Pyruvic Acid, Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters, Carbohydrate Metabolism, Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors, Transcriptome

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