Histone deacetylase inhibitory activity of butyrate compared to SCFA derivatives.

Immunoblot analysis of total nuclear proteins from K562 cells separated on SDS-PAGE, transferred to nitrocellulose, and immunoblotted with an antibody to acetylated histone H4. Cells were left untreated (C) or treated for 18 hours with the following test compounds at 1 mM: arginine butyrate (B); α methyl hydrocinnamic acid (1); 2,2 dimethylbutyric acid (2); phenoxyacetic acid (3); or 3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl) propionic acid (4).