09/04/2026
The lunasin peptide is the only biological agent in nature to specifically inhibit histone H3 lysine 14 acetylation (H3K14ac).
Here are the research studies on the epigenetic biomarker, H3K14ac, its associated histone acetyltransferase enzyme, KAT7/HBO1, and their involvement in aging and chronic disease development.
1) Review article
H3K14: A histone site closely related to diseases
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12374959/
2) Cellular Senescence (Cellular Aging)
A genome-wide CRISPR-based screen identifies KAT7 as a driver of cellular senescence
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.abd2655
3) Alzheimer’s disease and neuroinflammation
Epigenetic control of microglial mitochondrial immunity by KAT7 drives Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.19.706884v1
4) Cardiovascular disease and inflammation
Increased acetylation of H3K14 in the genomic regions that encode trained immunity enzymes in lysophosphatidylcholine-activated human aortic endothelial cells – Novel qualification markers for chronic disease risk factors and conditional DAMPs
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213231719303866
Kat7 contributes to ponatinib-induced hypertension by promoting endothelial senescence and inflammatory responses through activating NF-KappaB signaling pathway
https://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/fulltext/2025/05000/kat7_contributes_to_ponatinib_induced_hypertension.14.aspx
5) Breast Cancer
A chemical toolbox for the study of bromodomains and epigenetic signaling
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09672-2
6) Colorectal Cancer
Targeting KAT7 inhibits the progression of colorectal cancer
https://www.thno.org/v15p1478.htm
7) Ovarian Cancer
HBO1 determines epithelial-mesenchymal transition and promotes immunotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer cells
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13402-025-01055-8
8) Leukemia
KAT7 is a genetic vulnerability of acute myeloid leukemias driven by MLL rearrangements
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41375-020-1001-z
HBO1 is required for the maintenance of leukemia stem cells
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1835-6
Histone acetylation by HBO1 (KAT7) activates Wnt/B-catenin signaling to promote leukemogenesis in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41419-023-06019-0
9) Prostate Cancer
BAZ2A-mediated repression via H3K14ac-marked enhancer promotes prostate cancer stem cells
https://link.springer.com/article/10.15252/embr.202153014
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent cancers in men. Cancer stem cells are thought to be associated with PCa relapse. Here, we show that BAZ2A is required for PCa cells with a cancer stem-like state. BAZ2A genomic occupancy in PCa cells coincides with H3K14ac-enriched chromatin regions...
