Sodium butyrate

Sodium butyrate is a compound with formula Na(C₃H₇COO). It is the sodium salt of butyric acid. It has various effects on cultured mammalian cells including inhibition of proliferation, induction of differentiation and induction or repression of gene expression.^[1] As such, it can be used in lab to bring about any of these effects. Specifically, butyrate treatment of cells results in histone hyperacetylation, and butyrate itself inhibits class I histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity,^[2] specifically HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3, and butyrate can be used in determining histone deacetylene in chromatin structure and function. Inhibition of HDAC activity is estimated to affect the expression of only 2% of mammalian genes.^[3]

Sodium butyrate

Names
Preferred IUPAC name Sodium butanoate
Other names Sodium butyrate
Identifiers
CAS Number	156-54-7 Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEBI	CHEBI:64103 N
ChEMBL	ChEMBL62381 N
ChemSpider	8727 N
ECHA InfoCard	100.005.326
PubChem CID	5222465
UNII	8RAS91C36W Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID3037672
InChI InChI=1S/C4H8O2.Na/c1-2-3-4(5)6;/h2-3H2,1H3,(H,5,6);/q;+1/p-1
SMILES CCCC(=O)[O-].[Na+]
Properties
Chemical formula	C4H7NaO2
Molar mass	110.088 g·mol−1
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). N verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

In the lab, sodium butyrate is usually found as a white, water-soluble, crystalline solid. The chemical is notable for having a very strong, unpleasant smell that lingers.^[4] When working with sodium butyrate, gloves, eye protection and respiratory masks are advised for safety purposes.^[5]

The compound is found in human diet, notably produced in large amounts from dietary fiber in the gut and present in Parmesan cheese and butter.^[6] Nevertheless, the most common source of sodium butyrate in the gut is from consumption of legumes.^[7]