Figure 3.

Aryl hydrocarbon nuclear translocator (ARNT) is required for aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-dependent gene induction by 1,2-NQ and 1,4-NQ. Wild-type and ARNT-defective (Bp^Rc1) mouse hepatoma (Hepa1c1c7) cells were transiently transfected with control pcDNA3.1(+) or ARNT expression vector and the AhR-responsive luciferase reporter plasmid pGudLuc6.1. After 24h, cells were incubated with DMSO (0.1%, v/v), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) (10 nM), 1,2-NQ (5 μM), or 1,4-NQ (5 μM) for 18 to 22 h. Luciferase activity was measured and corrected for background luciferase activity (DMSO). Values were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation of triplicates of three biological replicates and an asterisk (*) indicates those values that were significantly different from wild-type Hepa1c1c7 cells at p < 0.05 as determined by Two-Way ANOVA.