Figure 9. H₂O₂-induced ox-stress does not deplete cellular cholesterol.

Serum-starved A549 cells were treated, or not, with 100 ng/ml EGF for 15 min. or 1 U/ml GO for 30 min. or 2% (w/v) MβCD for 1 h or 2 mM MβCD-cholesterol complexes (CC) for 30 min. A. Total cell cholesterol levels were measured after lipid extractions and normalized per protein unit, as described in “Material and Methods”; the values in the histogram are reported as % over non treated (NT) cells; St-Devs are indicated and “*” means p<0.05 in respect to control (NT); n = 3. B. Cells were fixed with paraformaldehyde (see “Material and Methods”) and stained for cholesterol using the sterol-binding probe filipin (50 µg/ml for 30 min.).