Figure 1

Sodium fluorocitrate (SFC) inhibits fatty acid uptake in hepatocytes. (a) Uptake of BODIPY-palmitate (B-PA) in different tissues (GM: gastrocnemius muscle, E-fat: epididymal fat, P-fat, perirenal fat, B-fat: brown fat, S-fat: subcutaneous fat) was determined by measuring the fluorescence intensity of tissue extract isolated from B-PA (50 μg/mouse)-injected C57BL6J mice after SFC treatment (20 mg/kg). **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001 vs. saline-treated mice (Sal). ^###p < 0.001 vs. B-PA and saline-treated mice (B-PA/Sal). (b) A total of twelve 8-week-old male mice were assigned to three groups: Con/Sal (n = 4); Fast/Sal (n = 4); and Fast/SFC (n = 4). Mice were intraperitoneally injected with saline (Sal) or SFC (20 mg/kg) and then fasted for 15 h (Fast). Representative livers of non-fasted (Con/Sal) and fasted mice with (Fast/SFC) or without SFC treatment (Fast/Sal) are shown. Liver sections were stained with Oil-Red O and the nuclei were then counterstained with hematoxylin. Triacylglycerol (TG) content per 1 mg of wet liver tissues was measured by using TG assay kit. *p < 0.05 vs. control non-fasted mice (Con/Sal). ^#p < 0.05 vs. saline-treated 15 h-fasted mice ⁽Fast/Sal). (c) Cellular uptake of palmitate (PA) was determined by measuring the fluorescence of B-PA in HepG2 hepatocytes, C2C12 myocytes or 3T3L1 adipocytes after incubation with 2.0 μM B-PA for 3 h in the presence of different concentration of SFC. **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001 vs. B-PA-treated cells. (d) Florescent images of B-PA-treated HepG2 cells with or without 0.2 mM SFC treatment were visualized by Zeiss 710 confocal microscopy (489 nm as excitation and 510 nm as emission).