Fig. 9: Bithionol synergises with venetoclax in AML cells.

A Heatmap of the results of the drug combination assay carried out in KG-1a, KG-1, Kasumi-1, and HL-60 cells after 72 h of incubation with bithionol (28 μM) and 48 selected drugs (2 nM) of different pharmacological classes, the majority of which are already used to treat myeloid malignancies. B Heatmap of the results of the drug combination assay carried out in KG-1a, KG-1, Kasumi-1, and HL-60 cells after 72 h of incubation with bithionol (28 μM) and 14 selected drugs (2 nM). C Combination index plot of the interaction between venetoclax and bithionol in KG-1a, KG-1, Kasumi-1, and HL-60 cells after 72 h of incubation. The synergistic, additive, and antagonistic effects of drugs are defined by combination index values of <1.0, 1.0, and >1.0, respectively. D Phosphatidylserine externalisation induced by bithionol combined with venetoclax in KG-1a, KG-1, Kasumi-1, and HL-60 cells after 72 h of incubation. The data are shown as the mean ± SEM of three biological replicates carried out in duplicate. *p < 0.05 compared with CTL by one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test. E Western blot of the PARP, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, and BCL-2 proteins in KG-1a and KG-1 cells after treatment with bithionol combined with venetoclax. GAPDH was used as an internal control.