Figure 3

Expression of LC3-I and LC3-II proteins in visceral und subcutaneous fat WOKW and LEW.1 W rats. The over expression of the LC3-II (membrane bound) protein and a significantly higher LC3-II / LC3-I ratio in subcutaneous fat of WOKW rats vs. LEW.1 W control animals. Representative Western blots and corresponding densitometrical analyses (Figure 3A). The presence and location of the LC3 protein in subcutaneous fat of WOKW and LEW.1 W rats is additionally shown by immunostaining. As shown for Atg5 and Atg7, adipocytes were predominately negative for LC3 (star). Strong LC3 staining was found in stroma cells resembling macrophages (arrows; Figure 3B). Scale bars: 15 μm (a-d); 50 μm (b’-d’) (Figure 3B). Data from n = 6 are presented as mean ± SEM * p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01, *** p ≤ 0.001, according to the one-way analysis of variance together with the Newman-Keuls test. GAPDH was used as loading control.