3-chlorobutyrate

3-chlorobutyrate (3-Cl BA) is a synthetic small molecule analog of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, developed as a metabolite mimic to treat intestinal barrier dysfunction. While natural butyrate is a primary energy source for colonocytes and a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, its therapeutic utility is limited by rapid metabolism and its tendency to inhibit intestinal stem cell (ISC) proliferation through the stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). 3-chlorobutyrate is designed to retain potent HDAC inhibitory activity while avoiding HIF stabilization and metabolic consumption. In preclinical models of colitis, it has demonstrated the ability to enhance epithelial barrier formation, promote wound healing, and support ISC differentiation, offering a potential advantage over native butyrate for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Other names

3-chlorobutanoic acid