Fig. 3
Cu effect on Cho de novo synthesis. A Expression levels of SREBP-2 determined by RT-qPCR (n = 4); B Expression levels of HMGCR determined by RT-qPCR (n = 4); C Cho de novo synthesis determined by HP-TLC followed by the intensity analysis of radioactive bands (n = 6–14). All determinations were made after 24 h of Cu treatment (400 µM of CuSO4; gray bar). Untreated cells were used as controls (black bar), TBH (500 µM) was used as a positive control of ROS production (dark gray bars), and NAC (10 µg/mL) was used as an antioxidant molecule to counteract Cu ROS generation to be used as a second negative control (light gray bars). Results were calculated using 2-way ANOVA plus Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons test, and data expressed mean ± SD, *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 significant differences respect to the control of the same sex, and # significant differences between female vs male astrocytes with same treatment (p < 0.05 for SREBP-2, p < 0.01 for Cu HMGCR, p < 0.1 TBH HMGCR, p < 0.01 for Cu Cho de novo synthesis and p < 0.05 for TBH Cho de novo synthesis), + + p < 0.01 significant differences between Cu and Cu + NAC treatment of the same sex, and & p < 0.01 significant differences between Cu and TBH treatment of the same sex