Figure 3
From: Gender-specific effects of HIV protease inhibitors on body mass in mice
Adipokine levels in mice treated with ritonavir. A) Serum leptin levels (left) and adiponectin levels (right) were measured by ELISA in male and female LDL-R null mice treated with ritonavir (15 μg/day) or vehicle (0.01% ethanol) for six weeks. Bars represent the mean +/- SEM, n = 6–8. * = significantly different from vehicle (p < 0.05). # = significantly different from males (p < 0.05). B) Leptin expression was identified by western immunoblot assay. Total protein was isolated from white adipose tissue from male and female LDL-R null mice treated with ritonavir (15 μg/day) or vehicle (0.01% ethanol) for six weeks. SDS-PAGE and immunoblot with a leptin antibody (#AFP6621299 obtained through the NHPP, NIDDK and Dr. A. F. Parlow) was performed. The relative density of the bands was quantified. C) A representative immunoblot is shown. Recombinant human leptin (rhLeptin) protein was included as a positive control.