Benfluorex hydrochloride

Kinase experiment:

HepG2 cells are treated with DMSO or Benfluorex hydrochloride at a concentration of 20 µM or 40 µM for 16 hr.Total cell protein is extracted, measured by BCA protein assay. Each sample is split into two aliquots for proteolysis without (-) or with (+) Subtilisin. Twenty ug of cell lysate is incubated with or without protease (20 ng/mL subtilisin) for 35 minutes at room temperature. Western blot is then performed with primary anti-HNF4α polyclonal antibody (1:1000 dilution) and secondary HRP conjugated anti-goat IgG (1:2000 dilution), detected with chemiluminescence ECL kit[1].

Cell experiment:

Hepatocytes are isolated by in situ perfusion of the liver with 0.025% collagenase. Hepatocytes (1 to 2×106 cells/mL) are incubated at 37°C in 2 mL of oxygenated (O2:CO2; 95:5) Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.4) for 1 h in a gyratory shaking water bath. Benfluorex hydrochloride is dissolved in DMSO and added (10 μL) to the incubation medium at a final concentration of 0.1 or 1 nM[2].

References:

[1]. Lee SH, et al. Identification of alverine and benfluorex as HNF4α activators. ACS Chem Biol. 2013 Aug 16;8(8):1730-6.
[2]. Kohl C, et al. Effects of benfluorex on fatty acid and glucose metabolism in isolated rat hepatocytes: from metabolic fluxes to gene expression. Diabetes. 2002 Aug;51(8):2363-8.