FIG. 1.

Palmitate-induced ER stress is associated cardiac cell death. H9C2 cells were exposed to palmitate at different doses (A and B) or at 62.5 μmol/L for different times (C and D). Cell death was evaluated by DNA fragmentation with cell death ELISA assay (A and D) and cleaved caspase 3 with Western blotting assay (B, C, and E). E: ER stress was examined by detecting its makers (GRP78, CHOP, and caspase 12) with Western blotting assay 12 h after cells were exposed to palmitate at 62.5 μmol/L, with and without ER stress inhibitor 4-PBA at 100 μmol/L for 12 h. Data are presented as mean ± SD from at least three separate experiments. c-casp3, cleaved caspase 3; Ctrl, control; Pal, palmitate. *P < 0.05 vs. control group; #P < 0.05 vs. palmitate group.