Abstract:Histone deacetylase (HDAC) can induce deacetylation of both histone and non-histone proteins, and plays an important role in epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Increasing evidence has shown the involvement of HDAC in the development and progression of various renal diseases, highlighting the inhibition of HDAC as a promising therapeutic strategy to kidney diseases. This review focuses on the potential therapeutic effects and relevant mechanisms of HDAC inhibitors in kidney diseases including tubulointerstitial fibrosis, diabetic nephropathy, polycystic kidney disease, acute kidney injury and lupus nephritis, in order to provide new targets for clinical diagnosis and treatment of various renal diseases.