Brusatol Enhances the Chemotherapy Efficacy of Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Cancer via the Nrf2 Signalling Pathway

Figure 4

Brusatol enhanced growth inhibition and apoptosis caused by gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells. (a) Pancreatic cell lines were treated with 1 μM brusatol or/and 20 μM gemcitabine for the indicated time points. CCK8 assays were used to measure the cell viability. (b) Colony formation assays. Pancreatic cell lines were treated with 1 μM brusatol or/and 20 μM gemcitabine for 48 h. Then, the cells were permitted to form cell colonies for another 7 days. (c) Pancreatic cell lines were treated with 1 μM brusatol or/and 20 μM gemcitabine for 48 h. The cell apoptosis was measured by applying the annexin V-FITC/PI double staining assay. (d) The expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and active caspase-3 in the indicated pancreatic cell lines that were treated with 0.5 μM brusatol for 8 h or/and 5 μM gemcitabine for 48 h was analyzed by Western blot analysis. The data showed representatives of at least three independent experiments. compared with the control group. compared with the brusatol group and gemcitabine group.

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