Fig. 1

Cell membrane cholesterol content correlates with ErbB2 localization and cell migration in ErbB2-positive breast cancer cells. a ErbB2-positive SKBR3, AU565, and HCC1954 cells were cultured on glass coverslips and processed for immunofluorescence analyses with anti-ErbB2 antibody. Nucleus was stained with DAPI. Representative images show confocal sections. Scale bar = 10 μm. b indicated cells were cultured and processed for filipin staining to examine cholesterol amounts. Fluorescence images were captured under identical intensity settings. Scale bar = 10 μm. c, d, e and f, indicated breast cancer cells were grown to form confluent monolayers and processed for wound healing assays. Mitomycin (2.5 μg/ml) was added during recovery. Cells were either treated with DMSO (control), oleic acid (OA) at 200 nM, or filipin at 2 μg/ml. Images of the wounds were recorded at indicated times under a phase contrast microscope. Scale bar = 50 μm. Adjacent column charts show the quantification of relative wound recovery from each condition. Not significant, n.s., * and ** indicate p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively