The binding mode of 3-(4-aroyl-1H-2-pyrrolyl)-N-hydroxy-2-propenamides 1a-c, belonging to a recently reported class of synthetic histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (Massa, S.; et al. J. Med. Chem. 2001, 44, 2069-2072), into the new modeled HDAC1 catalytic core is presented, and enzyme/inhibitor interactions are discussed. HDAC1 X-ray coordinates were obtained by virtual "mutation" of those of histone deacetylase-like protein, a bacterial HDAC homologue. In in vitro antimaize HD2 as well as antimouse HDAC1 assay, compounds 1a-c showed inhibitory activities in the low micromolar range. Similarly, 1a-c are endowed with anti-HDAC activity in vivo: on mouse A20 cells, 1a-c induced histone hyperacetylation leading to a highly increased acetylation level of H4 as compared to control histones. Results obtained with acid-urea-triton polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis have been confirmed by Western Blot experiments. Finally, compound 1a, chosen as a representative member of this class of HDAC inhibitors, resulted endowed with antiproliferative (45 and 85% cell growth inhibition at 40 and 80 microM, respectively) and cellular differentiation (18 and 21% of benzidine positive cells at the same concentrations) activities in murine erythroleukemic cells.