Patent ID: 7312247

Claim:
A method of inhibiting histone deacetylation activity in cells comprising contacting the cells with an effective amount of a compound wherein the compound is 7-phenyl -2,4,6-hepta-trienoylhydroxamic acid, 8-phenyl-3,5,7-octatrienoic acid, cinnamoylhydroxamic acid, methyl-cinnamoylhydroxamic acid, 5-phenyl-2,4-pentadienoylhydroxamic acid, N-methyl-5-phenyl-2,4-pentadienoylhydroxamic acid, 3-methyl-5-phenyl-2,4-pentadienoylhydroxamic acid, 4-methyl-5-phenyl-2,4-pentadienoyl hydroxamic acid, 5-phenyl-2-en-4-yn-pentanoylhydroxamic acid, or N-methyl-6-phenyl-3,5-hexadienoylhydroxamic acid, thereby treating one or more disorders mediated by histone deacetylase; wherein the disorder is cancer; and determining whether the level of acetylated histones in the treated cells is higher than in untreated cells under the same conditions.