Lianhe Xiaozhi ointment ameliorates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha pathway activation

Figure 6 Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha-dependent mechanism of Lianhe Xiaozhi ointment in HepG2 cells. A: Cell viability under different treatments: Lianhe Xiaozhi ointment-derived serum, oleic acid/palmitic acid, and GW6471 [peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) inhibitor, 10 μM]; B: Intracellular triglyceride levels (n = 5); C: Oil red O staining of lipid droplets, with a scale bar of 50 μm (n = 3); D: Representative western blot images of PPARα, carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1a, acyl-CoA oxidase 1, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (n = 3); E: Extracellular β-hydroxybutyrate levels (n = 5). One-way analysis of variance was employed, and the data are presented as mean ± SEM. ^aP < 0.001 vs normal control group. ^bP < 0.05 vs palmitic acid + oleic acid group. ^cP < 0.001 vs palmitic acid + oleic acid group. ^dP < 0.05 vs palmitic acid + oleic acid + 10.0% Lianhe Xiaozhi ointment-derived serum group. ^eP < 0.05 vs palmitic acid + oleic acid + 5.0% Lianhe Xiaozhi ointment-derived serum group. LXO: Lianhe Xiaozhi ointment; OA: Oleic acid; PA: Palmitic acid; PPAR: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor; BHB: Β-hydroxybutyrate; GAPDH: Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; Acox1: Acyl-CoA oxidase 1; CPT1A: Carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1a; HMGCS2: 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2.