Figure 9.

Oxidative stress promotes apoptosis in cells with low caveolin-1 protein expression. (A) Cell death. Normal NIH 3T3 cells, Cav-1-AS cells, and Rev-Cav-1-AS cells were treated with 150 μM H₂O₂ for 2 h and the cells were allowed to recover for the indicated period of time. The cells remaining in the dish were then collected and counted. Interestingly, H₂O₂ induces a significantly higher degree of cell death in the Cav-1-AS cells (i.e., that express low levels of caveolin-1). Values represent means ± SEM (n = 8 for each experimental point). *P < 0.001. (B) Cell morphology. Cells were left untreated or treated as in A and allowed to recover for 12 h. Cells were then observed under a BX50WI Optical light microscope (Olympus; ×10 magnification). Note that Cav-1-AS cells clearly show cell shrinkage when stimulated with H₂O₂. (C) Nuclear morphology. Cells were left untreated or treated as in B, stained with DAPI to visualize their nuclear morphology, and then observed under a Provis fluorescence microscope (Olympus). Note that nuclear condensation is observed only in Cav-1-AS cells.