Figure 4.

9-cis-βc increased macrophage cholesterol efflux to HDL. (A) RAW264.7 macrophages were treated for 24 h with vehicle (TWEEN 40), 2 µM of 9-cis-βc or all-trans-βc. Cells were labeled with serum-free DMEM containing 0.5 µCi/mL ³H-cholesterol for 6 h. Cholesterol efflux was determined after 0.5-h incubation with 1 µg/mL HDL, relative to TWEEN (2% efflux). The results are expressed as mean ± SE of five independent experiments, each preformed in triplicate. * p < 0.05; (B) Peritoneal macrophages isolated from LDLR–/– mice fed chow diet fortified with (n = 5) or without (n = 5) Dunaliella for four weeks. Cells were labeled with serum-free DMEM containing 0.5 µCi/mL ³H-cholesterol for 18 h. Cholesterol efflux was determined after 0.5-h incubation with 1 µg/mL HDL. The results are expressed as mean ± SE. * p < 0.05.