头颈癌是全世界癌症死亡的主要原因，鳞状细胞癌（HNSCC）是第二常见的亚型。 HNSCC 由于其高发病率和不良预后而对健康构成重大威胁，这凸显了先进研究的迫切需要。组蛋白修饰在基因表达调控和影响各种生物过程中发挥着至关重要的作用。在 HNSCC 中，异常组蛋白修饰越来越被认为是其发生和病理进展的关键因素。本综述阐述了组蛋白修饰（如乙酰化、甲基化、磷酸化和泛素化）影响 HNSCC 发病机制的分子机制。组蛋白修饰酶，包括组蛋白乙酰转移酶 (HAT)、组蛋白脱乙酰酶 (HDAC) 和组蛋白甲基转移酶 (HMT) 的失调，讨论了其在改变 HNSCC 染色质结构和基因表达中的作用。此外，我们将探索以组蛋白修饰为治疗策略的潜力，重点介绍当前研究组蛋白脱乙酰酶抑制剂 (HDI) 和其他表观遗传药物的临床前和临床研究，参考这些药物已完成和正在进行的临床试验。版权所有 © 2024毛、王、黄、孙、严、董。

Head and neck cancer is the main cause of cancer death worldwide, with squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) being the second most frequent subtype. HNSCC poses significant health threats due to its high incidence and poor prognosis, underscoring the urgent need for advanced research. Histone modifications play a crucial role in the regulation of gene expression and influencing various biological processes. In the context of HNSCC, aberrant histone modifications are increasingly recognized as critical contributors to its development and pathologic progression. This review demonstrates the molecular mechanisms, by which histone modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination, impact the pathogenesis of HNSCC. The dysregulation of histone-modifying enzymes, including histone acetyltransferases (HATs), histone deacetylases (HDACs), and histone methyltransferases (HMTs), is discussed for its role in altering chromatin structure and gene expression in HNSCC. Moreover, we will explore the potential of targeting histone modifications as a therapeutic strategy, highlighting current preclinical and clinical studies that investigate histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs) and other epigenetic drugs, referring to the completed and ongoing clinical trials on those medications.Copyright © 2024 Mao, Wang, Huang, Sun, Yan and Dong.