Differentiation-inducing factor-3 (DIF-3) is a monochlorinated metabolite of differentiation-inducing factor-1 (DIF-1), that belongs to the differentiation-inducing factor (DIF) family.

DIF-3 has been used: as a glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) activator to determine if GSK-3β is required for the anti-inflammatory actions of VU0360172 (VuPAM) in murine microglia, as a phosphorylation inhibitor for GSK-3β to examine the links between activation of protein kinase B (PKB)/GSK-3β/Fyn axis and nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (NRF2) retention, as a GSK3β activator to study its effects on the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) expression levels in human primary chondrocytes in response to visfatin, as a GSK3β activator to study its effects on the intracellular mechanics along with F-actin and β-tubulin fiber networks in human primary chondrocytes

DIF-3 Inhibits cell cycle by inducing G0/G1 arrest.

Differentiation-inducing factor-3 (DIF-3) prevents the proliferation of intestinal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. It may serve as a novel anti-cancer agent.