Sodium Butyrate has been reported to cause hyperacetylation of histones due to its role as a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor (IC50 values are 0.3, 0.4, 0.3, mM for HDAC1, 2 and 7 respectively). This compound has been shown to cause induction of differentiation and gene expression and also prevent cell proliferation. Mechanistic studies suggest that the action of Sodium Butyrate is often mediated through Sp1/Sp3-associated HDAC activity which leads to transcriptional activation of the p21 gene. Additionally this agent demonstrates the ability to downregulate numerous genes associated with cytokine signaling, specifically, the IFN-γ (interferon γ) pathway.