Alda-1 is an ALDH2 agonist, a cell-permeable activator of both the wild-type ALDH2*1 and the Asian E487K mutant ALDH2*2 forms of mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (mtALDH2).

Lipid kinase activity : IC50 values are measured using a standard lipid kinase activity with PI as a substrate. (i)100 μM cold ATP is used instead of 10 μM, (ii) the DMSO concentration is 1%, and (iii) [γ-33P]ATP is used instead of [γ-32P]ATP. The TLC plates are quantified using a phosphorimager screen. The reported IC50 values are determined by non-linear regression analysis on the basis of at least three independent experiments repeated across multiple preparations of recombinant protein.

Spleen cells (4×106 cells/mL) are stimulated by optimal concentrations of concanavalin A (Con A; 2.5 μg/mL and 0.6 μg/mL) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 μg/mL) and are incubated in 96-well plates at final volume of 0.2 mL for 72 h. Cell proliferation is determined by adding 0.5 μCi of [3H]-thymidine per well at 16 h before the end of the incubation. The cultures are harvested with an automatic cell harvester, and [3H] thymidine incorporation is assessed using a liquid scintillation counter.