REVIEW article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Disorders : Autoimmune Disorders
This article is part of the Research TopicEpitranscriptomics and Epigenetics in Multi-layered Regulation of Innate ImmunityView all articles
The Emerging Role of Histone Acetylation in Rheumatic Diseases: Unraveling Mechanisms and Therapeutic Prospects
Provisionally accepted
- Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
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Histone acetylation, a fundamental and reversible epigenetic modification, critically regulates chromatin structure and plays a pivotal role in diverse cellular processes, including gene transcription, cell cycle progression, and DNA damage repair. Rheumatic diseases [such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)] represent a group of disorders primarily affecting joints, bones, muscles, and connective tissues, posing a significant global burden. This review systematically elucidated the aberrant regulation of histone acetylation in these rheumatic conditions, with a focus on the disrupted balance between histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). We further discussed the downstream mechanisms driven by these acetylation alterations, which contribute to various pathological processes (including synovial inflammation, cartilage degradation, and dysregulated cell death). Notably, special emphasis is placed on the potential of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to target this epigenetic axis. We summarized evidence that TCM formulations can exert their therapeutic effects by modulating HAT/HDAC activity and restoring acetylation homeostasis. By integrating current knowledge, this review aimed to provide mechanistic insights and highlight the promising potential of targeting histone acetylation, especially through TCM-based strategies, for developing novel therapeutic strategies against rheumatic diseases.
Keywords: epigenetic modification, histone acetylation, Mechanisms and therapeutic prospects, Rheumatic Diseases, Traditional Chinese Medicine
Received: 24 Nov 2025; Accepted: 09 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Wen, Liu, Wan, Wang and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jian Liu
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