Fig. 7.

Effects of the AMPKα1/α2 siRNA on hesperetin-induced inhibition of foam cell formation and promotion of cholesterol efflux. THP-1 macrophages were transfected with the control siRNA or siRNA targeting AMPKα1/α2. Then, the cells were treated with 80 μg/mL ox-LDL or labeled cholesterol alone or in combination with hesperetin (100 μmol/L) and/or T0901317 (10 μmol/L) for 24 h. Control cells were cultured for the same time without any treatments. (a) Representative microscopy images of Oil Red O-stained lipid droplets at a magnification of × 200. (b) Semiquantitative analysis of intracellular lipid contents based on the absorbance of intracellular dye extracted with isopropanol at 492 nm. (c) The cholesterol efflux was determined by a commercial assay as described above. *p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.01 compared with treatment with ox-LDL or labeled cholesterol alone; Δ p < 0.05 and ΔΔ p < 0.01 AMPKα1/α2 siRNA vs. control siRNA