Fig. 4

Effect of recombinant Klotho on cholesterol metabolism in foam cells. a Oil red O staining (400×); b Total cholesterol level assay; c Cholesteryl ester assay; d Cholesterol efflux rate assay; e/f Protein level expression of cholesterol metabolism related proteins (ABCA1, ABCG1, ACAT1, CD36 and SRA1); g mRNA level expression of cholesterol metabolism related genes (ABCA1, ABCG1, ACAT1, CD36 and SRA1); h/i/j Expression of key molecules related to Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway (β-catenin, Cyclin D1 and c-Myc); k Immunofluorescence staining of β-catenin (400×); a/d/g DAPI staining (blue); b/e/h β-catenin staining (green); c/f/i Merge; Con, Control group; Mol, Model group; Re-Klotho, recombinant Klotho group; PMA, phorbol myristate acetate; ox-LDL, oxidized low-density lipoprotein. ^**P < 0.01 vs. control group; ^#P < 0.05 and ^##P < 0.01 vs. model group