On-Mammalian shRNA Manage Transduction Particles; Sigma). Cells have been centrifuged (30uC, 1300 g, 90 min) and have been selected two days just after transduction with medium containing 2 mg/ml Puromycin (Life Technologies Carlsbad, CA, US).Lipoprotein isolation and labeling proceduresLDL and HDL have been recovered from human plasma by serial ultracentrifugation at a density of 1.07 and 1.21 g/ml, respectively [18]. Lipoproteins were routinely analyzed for their apolipoprotein content by SDS-gel electrophoresis. To fluorescently label HDLFigure 3. Modification of HDL by taurocholate does not alter endocytosis. (a) HDL was incubated with or with no 1 mM taurocholate in media inside the absence of cells for 1 hour. HDL size was then analyzed by size exclusion chromatography. HDL incubated with taurocholate is CaSR Purity & Documentation eluted earlier, indicating elevated size. (b) HDL-Alexa488 was incubated with or without 1 mM taurocholate in media in the absence of cells for 1 hour. Absolutely free taurocholate was then removed employing gel filtration and HepG2 cells were incubated with this modified HDL-Alexa488 for 1 hour. Cells were fixed, counterstained with DAPI and imaged. (c) Quantification of fluorescence intensities from (b); n = three. Green: HDL; blue: nucleus; bar = 10 mm. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0102026.gPLOS 1 | plosone.orgBile Acids Decrease HDL EndocytosisFigure four. Taurocholate reduces HDL endocytosis SR-BI-dependently. (a) HepG2 cells were incubated with or without 1 mM taurocholate and ATP hydrolysis was measured as a decrease in extracellular ATP. One representative experiment out of 3 independent experiments is shown. (b) SR-BI knockdown efficiency in HepG2 cells transfected with scrambled shRNA and HepG2 cells transfected with SR-BI shRNA (n = three). Selective lipid uptake evaluation making use of double labeled 125I/3H-CE-HDL in scrambled handle (c) or SR-BI knockdown (d) HepG2 cells (n = three). Selective cholesteryl-ester uptake was calculated by subtracting 125I-HDL uptake from 3H-CE-HDL uptake. doi:ten.1371/journal.pone.0102026.gand LDL, the apolipoprotein part was covalently linked to Alexa488 or Alexa568 as Dopamine Receptor Accession described [6]. Radiolabeling of HDL at its apolipoprotein part with sodium 125 iodide (125I; Hartmann Analytic, Gottingen, Germany) was performed applying the Pierce IODO-BEADS reagent kit (Thermo Scientific, Rockford, IL, USA). HDL was purified from unincorporated label making use of gel filtration. HDL double-labeled in its apolipoproteins and lipid moiety (125I/3H-CE-HDL) was performed as follows: one hundred mCi [Cholesteryl-1,two -3H(N)]-oleate (Perkin Elmer, Waltham, MA, USA) were evaporated beneath nitrogen within a glass tube and resuspended in 50 ml DMSO. HDL (1 mg/450 ml PBS) was added followed by incubation inside a rocking water bath at 40uC for two hours. Afterwards, iodination and purification was performed as described above. Transferrin was purchased from Sigma and labeled with Alexa488 as described for HDL.Uptake experiments with radiolabeled HDLCells were incubated with 20 mg/ml 125I-HDL or 125I/3H-CEHDL (,600 cpm/ng for 125I and ,800 cpm/ng for 3H-CE) in MEM with 2 mg/ml faf-BSA at 37uC for 1 hour. A 40-fold excess of unlabeled HDL was added to just about every forth data point. Media had been recovered and cell monolayers had been washed twice with cold Tris HCl (pH = 7.4), 0.9 NaCl and 0.2 BSA and twice with no BSA. Cells were lyzed with 0.1 M NaOH. Radioactivity was determined making use of a c-counter for 125I-HDL or a b-counter for 125 three I/ H-CE-HDL. Precise cell association was calculated by subtracting the amou.