F-box only protein 2 exacerbates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by targeting the hydroxyl CoA dehydrogenase alpha subunit

Figure 4 Effect of F-box only protein 2 overexpression or knockdown on lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. A: Representative images of Oil Red O staining of HepG2 cells treated with oleate (OA) for 24 h. Scale bar, 50 μm; B and C: Triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (T-Cho) levels in HepG2 cells treated with OA for 24 h; D and E: Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis of F-box only protein 2 (FBXO2) expression in HepG2 cells treated with OA for 24 h; F-I: HepG2 cells transfected with His-FBXO2 plasmids to overexpress FBXO2, followed by OA treatment for 24 h; representative images of Oil Red O staining (F), TG (G) and T-Cho (H) levels; expression analysis of genes associated with lipogenesis, fatty acid uptake, and oxidation as detected using qRT-PCR (I); J-M: HepG2 cells were transfected with Sh-FBXO2 plasmids to knockdown FBXO2 expression, followed by OA treatment for 24 h; representative images of Oil Red O staining (J), TG (K) and T-Cho (L) levels; expression analysis of genes associated with lipogenesis, fatty acid uptake, and oxidation as detected using qRT-PCR (M). ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01, ^cP < 0.001. FBXO2: F-box only protein 2; BSA: Bovine serum albumin; OA: Oleate; TG: Triglyceride; T-Cho: Total cholesterol; FASN: Fatty acid synthase; PPAR: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor; CD36: Cluster of differentiation 36; ACOX1: Acyl-CoA oxidase 1; ECH1: Enoyl coenzyme A hydratase 1; MCAD: Medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase; NC: Normal control.