Qing Yan Li Ge Tang, a Chinese Herbal Formula, Induces Autophagic Cell Death through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells In Vitro

Figure 2

QYLGT inhibits cell viability of NPC cells through induction of autophagy. (a) HONE-1 and (b) NPC-TW01 cells were treated without (control) or with 65 and 430 μg/ml QYLGT, respectively. After 48 h, the cell morphology was observed by using phase-contrast microscopy (scale bar: 100 μm; arrow heads: autophagic vacuoles). (c) HONE-1 and (d) NPC-TW01 cells were treated without (C = control) or with various concentrations of QYLGT. Protein expressions of Atg6, Atg3, Atg12-Atg5, and β-actin were examined using an immunoblot assay. The relative expression levels of individual proteins were quantified by normalization with their corresponding β-actin, and the expression level in the control group was set as 1.0. (e) HONE-1 and (f) NPC-TW01 cells were treated without (C = control) or with QYLGT (QY) and concurrently treated with the solvent control PBS or with an autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3-MA), respectively. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay. vs. control + PBS group. vs. the QYLGT + PBS group.

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