Fig. 7.

Inhibition of lipid droplet accumulation and apoptosis by Lipofermata in HepG2 cells. HepG2 cells were incubated with 100 or 500 µM palmitate (PA) or with a combination of PA and Lipofermata at varying concentrations as indicated. After 24 hrs intracellular lipid droplets were evaluated using Nile Red staining and apoptosis was assessed by staining with DAPI (4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride). (A) and (C) Confocal microscopic images (40X magnification) shown are representative of Nile Red or DAPI stained cells, respectively. Quantification of fluorescence accumulation for (B) NR or (D) DAPI, expressed as RFU/10⁶ cells (y-axis). Concentrations of PA were as indicated on the x-axis; white bars indicate no Lipofermata treatment, light gray bars 5µM, dark gray bars 10 µM and black bars 50 µM. The bar height indicates the mean of three experiments assayed in triplicate. Error bars indicate standard deviation from the experimental mean. The data was compared using ANOVA (JMP 11.0) for Lipofermata versus PA. Levels not connected by the same letter are significantly different.