Research Paper Volume 13, Issue 5 pp 6820—6831

Nicardipine sensitizes temozolomide by inhibiting autophagy and promoting cell apoptosis in glioma stem cells

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Figure 6. Rapamycin inhibited nicardipine-induced sensitization of TMZ against GSCs. SU4 and SU5 cells were treated with TMZ (400 μM), nicardipine (20 μM), TMZ (400 μM) + nicardipine (20 μM), and TMZ (400 μM) + nicardipine (20 μM) +rapamycin (RPA) (50 nM), respectively, for 48 h. Then cells were stained with PI and Annexin V-FITC for apoptosis analysis (AD). Western blot analysis of Bcl-2 and Bax in GSCs was performed after treating with TMZ (400 μM), nicardipine (20 μM), TMZ (400 μM) + nicardipine (20 μM), and TMZ (400 μM) + nicardipine (20 μM) +RPA (50 nM), respectively for 48 h (EG). The survival analysis of GSCs bearing mice after chemotherapy, Kaplan-Meier curve indicated combined treatment with TMZ and nicardipine had positive survival benefit (H). * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, ***p<0.001.