Fig. 3: Loss of Asters in intestine impairs cholesterol transfer to ER.

(A) Cholesterol ester quantification by mass spectrometry in proximal jejunum from WT (n = 3) and B/C KO (n = 4) 2 h post- refeeding a chow diet, after 10 h fasting. (B) Quantification of ¹⁴C-labeled CE isolated from proximal jejunum scrapings of WT (n = 5) and B/C KO (n = 4) mice 2 h after oral gavage of [¹⁴C]cholesterol. (C) Gene expression from distal jejunum scrapings of WT (n = 5) and B/C KO (n = 3) mice after 4 h of fasting. (D) Gene expression from distal jejunum scrapings of WT (n = 3) and B/C KO (n = 4) mice 2 h post- refeeding a chow diet, after 10 h fasting. (E) Gene expression from distal jejunum scrapings of F/F (n = 4) and I-B/C KO (n = 4) mice 2 h post-refeeding with chow diet, after 10 h fasting. (F) Western blot analysis of duodenum scrapings of mice described in D. (G) Western blot analysis and quantification of plasma from F/F (n = 4) and I-B/C KO (n = 4) mice fed for 21 days a high cholesterol (1.25%) diet, after 10 h of fasting followed by 2 h refeeding a HC diet. (H) ApoB48 quantified by densitometry and normalized on the volume of plasma used for WB detection. (I) Plasma cholesterol of mice described in G. (J) Quantification of ¹⁴C-counts in chylomicrons isolated from plasma of F/F (n=5) and I-B/C KO (n=5) 3 h after treatment with Poloxamer-407 and oral gavage of [¹⁴C]cholesterol. (K), (L) Quantification of deuterated (-d4) CE (K) and free cholesterol (L) in chylomicrons isolated from plasma of F/F (n = 4) and I-B/C KO ( n = 4) 3.5 h after treatment with Poloxamer-407 and oral gavage with cholesterol-d4. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis: unpaired t test, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001.