Fig. 7
Treatment with miR-500a-5p sensitises cancer cells to FK228-treated apoptosis. a LoVo cells were transfected with m-NC or miR-500a-5p for 36 h and then FK228 induced for 48 h, double-stained with Annexin V-FITC and PI, and assessed by flow cytometry analysis to evaluate apoptosis. b LoVo cells transfected with m-NC or miR-500a-5p were then FK228 induced for 48 h. Nuclei were stained with Hoechst 33258 and visualised under a fluorescence microscope (the arrow indicates cells with nuclear fragmentation and condensed chromatin). Student’s t test; ***P < 0.01, m-NC vs miR-500a-5p and ****P < 0.001, miR-500a-5p vs miR-500a-5p/FK228. c Fluorescence images of subcutaneous tumours of mice injected with LoVo/m-NC cells, LoVo/miR-500a-5p cells, LoVo/ m-NC cells + FK228 and LoVo/miR-500a-5p + FK228 cells. The mice were sacrificed and the photographs shown were taken on day 39. d Tumour size was measured starting from the 11th day after tumour cell inoculation in each group. Student’s t test; **P < 0.05, m-NC vs miR-500a-5p and **P < 0.05, miR-500a-5p vs miR-500a-5p/FK228. e Apoptosis in tumour tissues as visualised by TUNEL staining (apoptotic cells are indicated in green). The apoptotic index was calculated as the number of apoptotic cells/total number of nucleated cells × 100%. Student’s t test; ****P < 0.001, m-NC vs miR-500a-5p and ****P < 0.001, miR-500a-5p vs miR-500a-5p/FK228. Results of experiments of (a), (b) and (e) were repeated three to four times with the same results. Scale bars, 50 μm in (b) and (e)
