Fig. 4

Hawk tea extract (HTE) promotes sterol response element binding protein 2 (SREBP2)-mediated low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) transcription. a Dose–response profiles of LDLR expression under HTE treatment in HepG2 cells (n = 4). b Time course of LDLR expression. c Representative Western blot analysis of LDLR and quantitative analysis of LDLR protein under HTE (200 μg mL⁻¹) treatment in HepG2 cells (n = 3). Original Western blot images are shown as the Supplementary Fig. 9. d Dose–response profiles of LDLR expression under HTE treatment in HL-7702 cells (n = 4). e Representative Western blot analysis of LDLR and quantitative analysis of LDLR protein under HTE treatment in HL-7702 cells (n = 3). Original Western blot images are shown as the Supplementary Fig. 10. f Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of liver Ldlr gene in rats of three groups (n = 3). g Representative Western blot analysis of LDLR and quantitative analysis of LDLR protein in rat livers of three groups (n = 3). Original Western blot images are shown as the Supplementary Fig. 11. h Dose–response profiles of luciferase activity of the LDLR promoter and i LDLR 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) under HTE treatment in HeLa cells (n = 3). j Luciferase activity of sterol response element (SRE)-mutated pGL3-LDLR under HTE (200 μg mL⁻¹) treatment in HeLa cells (n = 4). k Representative Western blot analysis of precursor (P) and mature (M) form of SREBP2 and quantitative analysis of the proteins under HTE (200 μg mL⁻¹) treatment in HepG2 cells (n = 3). Original Western blot images are shown as the Supplementary Fig. 12. Data are shown in mean ± SD. For a–e, h–k, statistical analyses were conducted using paired Student’s t test. For f, g, statistical analyses were conducted using non-paired Student’s t test. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ns, not significant. Filled circles indicate the individual data points of each independent experiments under the indicated treatment conditions