Figure 4. Rescue of ATP levels is dependent on NQO1.

Correlation of ATP rescue and NQO1 mRNA expression in different human cell lines and primary cells. Percentage of ATP rescue by 10 µM idebenone in presence of 6 µM rotenone was defined as percentage of ATP levels in presence of rotenone and idebenone relative to the difference between ATP levels of DMSO- and rotenone-treated cells. mRNA levels were determined using qPCR and are relative to NQO1 expression in HepG2 cells. Results from HepG2 cells transduced with lentivirus encoding NQO1-specific shRNA are also included (open circle). Error bars represent standard deviation for both mRNA levels and ATP rescue (R² = 0.9458).