What Does FOXO4-DRI Dissolve In? Solvents Explained
Solubility behaviour is where compounds in this library differ most sharply from one another. For FOXO4-DRI, the determining factors are structural: 46-residue all-d retro-inverso peptide.
Overview
Very water-friendly. The peptide carries a lot of positive charge, so it goes into plain water readily — but that same charge makes it stick to glass, so plastic low-bind tubes are better.
What FOXO4-DRI actually is
FOXO4-DRI is a lab-made peptide that blocks two proteins, FOXO4 and p53, from holding onto each other inside worn-out "senescent" cells. In the 2017 study that introduced it, breaking that grip caused senescent cells in the dish to self-destruct while healthy cells were left alone. It is studied in cell and animal research on how senescent cells build up with age and damage. You will also see it spelled FOX04-DRI (with a zero) or sold as Proxofim — same molecule.
Supplied for laboratory research use only — not for human or animal use.
Third-party tested by HPLC and LC-MS, ≥99% purity, with a Certificate of Analysis on every order. Ships across Canada.
Technical detail below
How FOXO4-DRI behaves in solution
Strongly basic — the sequence carries many arginine and lysine residues — so it dissolves readily in plain aqueous diluent without acidification. The same positive charge makes it stick to negatively charged surfaces such as untreated glass.
Commonly worked at 1-5 mg/mL.
Suitable solvents, in order
Structural basis
FOXO4-DRI is 46-residue all-d retro-inverso peptide. FOXO4-DRI was designed in the laboratory of Peter de Keizer (Erasmus University Medical Center) and published in Cell in 2017 (Baar et al.). It mimics the region of the transcription factor FOXO4 that binds p53, but is built from D-amino acids in reversed order — a retro-inverso design that keeps the side-chain layout while making the backbone unrecognisable to proteases. A cationic, arginine-rich tail derived from the HIV-TAT cell-penetrating sequence carries it into cells.
What FOXO4-DRI is studied for
The founding study showed that senescent cells rely on FOXO4 holding p53 in the nucleus. Interfering with that interaction caused p53 nuclear exclusion and intrinsic apoptosis selectively in senescent cells in culture (Baar et al., Cell 2017).
The same study examined doxorubicin-induced senescence, fast-ageing XpdTTD/TTD mice and naturally aged mice, reporting changes in fur density, fitness and renal markers.
Studied in hydrogen-peroxide-induced senescent TM3 Leydig cells and aged mice for effects on the testicular microenvironment (Zhang et al., Aging 2020).
At 25 µM in vitro it removed a large share of late-passage (senescent-enriched) human chondrocytes while sparing early-passage cells, without improving cartilage-forming capacity (Huang et al., Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021).
Summarizes published preclinical literature — see the selected references below. Provided for research reference only; not a claim of efficacy or a description of human use.
- Baar MP, Brandt RMC, Putavet DA, et al. Targeted Apoptosis of Senescent Cells Restores Tissue Homeostasis in Response to Chemotoxicity and Aging. Cell. 2017.
- Zhang C, Xie Y, Chen H, et al. FOXO4-DRI alleviates age-related testosterone secretion insufficiency by targeting senescent Leydig cells in aged mice. Aging (Albany NY). 2020.
- Huang Y, He Y, Makarcyzk MJ, Lin H Senolytic Peptide FOXO4-DRI Selectively Removes Senescent Cells From in vitro Expanded Human Chondrocytes. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 2021.
- Browse current FOXO4-DRI literature on PubMed
References describe in-vitro and preclinical research and are listed for reference only — not evidence of efficacy and not a description of human use.
More FOXO4-DRI reference
Lyophilized and reconstituted storage conditions, plus the practical working window.
Diluent selection, dissolution behaviour, and the calculator preset for this compound.
The specific chemical routes by which this molecule breaks down, and how to limit each.
Which assays are informative for this molecule, and what to actually check on its COA.
Compound-specific bench practices, and the errors most often made with this molecule.
What to inspect on arrival, and which conditions actually warrant rejecting a vial.
Questions specific to this compound — structure, chemistry, and common misconceptions.
Solubility reference for other compounds
Reviewed for research-use compliance by Kobi Williams, Founder — Popular Peptides Canada. Last reviewed 22 July 2026.
FOXO4-DRI is supplied strictly as a research chemical for in-vitro laboratory and research use only. It is not intended for human or animal consumption, diagnostic, or therapeutic use. This page is educational laboratory-handling reference information — not medical advice, not usage guidance, and not a protocol.