MEK Inhibition Targets Cancer Stem Cells and Impedes Migration of Pancreatic Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Figure 1

Effect of MEK inhibition on cell viability and migration. (a) MTT assays to determine the respective IC₅₀ for three mouse tumor-derived primary cell lines (5493, 8926, and 9228) treated with PD0325901 (PD). The respective IC₅₀ is depicted for each cell line. (b) Apoptosis induction under MEK inhibitor treatment (3 days) as measured by annexin V staining and analysis by flow cytometry. (c) Western blot analysis for phosphorylated and total ERK 1/2 was performed on the three cell lines treated with PD0325901 at the indicated concentrations. Gapdh was used as a loading control. (d) The percentage of wound closure 24 h after scratch wound induction in primary cells treated with vehicle or PD0325901 at the indicated concentrations. (e) Quantification and representative micrographs (10x, DAPI nuclear staining) of Transwell migration assays with vehicle or PD0325901 treatment with the indicated concentrations. for all experiments, for Western blot. vs. control. ns = not significant.

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