Reticulon RTN1-[C.sub.CT] peptide: a potential nuclease and inhibitor of histone deacetylase enzymes

The properties of the synthetic RTN1-[C.sub.CT] peptide corresponding to the region from residues 186 to 208 were examined with relation to its ability to bind the metal ions in its N-terminal region. The results revealed that acetylated form of the metal-peptide complex have the ability to inhibit the histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzyme activity at micromolar concentrations and allowed to propose the Cu/Ni-RTN1-[C.sub.CT] complexes as models for the design of antitumor agents.