Figure 2.

Cholesterol efflux from ABAE and SMCs. Cells were first labeled with [³H]-cholesterol (0.5 μCi/mL) for 36 h at 37°C and then equilibrated for 24 h in DMEM/0.05% BSA at 37°C. Cellular [³H]-cholesterol loads in DPM per μg of proteins were compared between ABAE and SMCs (A). Data represent the mean ± SEM (in DPM/μg of proteins), with n = 6 from two sets of experiments. Paired-t-test was performed, ^***p < 0.001 when compared with ABAE condition. [³H]-cholesterol released from both cell types was then measured 6 h after medium supplementation with either BSA (control condition) or cholesterol acceptors [ApoA-I (20 μg/mL) or HDL (50 μg/mL)] at 37°C (B). Data represent the mean ± SEM (in DPM/μg of proteins), with n = 6 from two sets of experiments. One-way ANOVA test followed by Bonferroni correction was performed in which ^***p < 0.001 refers to the control condition and ^###p < 0.001 refers to the matched HDL condition in ABAE.