Figure 1

Chemotherapy enhances autophagy and TRPC5 expression in breast carcinoma cells. (A) Breast cancer cells were treated with 400, 300 and 800 nmol/L ADM for 48 h, and then the expression of TRPC5, LC3 and ACTB/β-actin was analyzed by western blot. Representative western blot and densitometric analysis normalized to ACTB demonstrating the effect of ADM on LC3-II levels. (B) Representative immunofluorescence images showing redistribution of the autophagic marker LC3 in breast cancer cells were captured on a confocal microscope, and the average number of LC3 dots per cell. Scale bar: 20 μm. (C) Representative western blots and densitometric analysis normalized to ACTB demonstrating the effect of the lysosomal protease inhibitors 10 μg/mL E64d plus pepstatin A (Pep A) on ADM-induced LC3-II accumulation. (D) Representative western blots and densitometric analysis normalized to ACTB demonstrating the LC3-II levels in MCF-7/ADM cells and the effect of E64d and Pep A. Values are means ± SEM of 4 to 6 experiments. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, compared to control or vehicle.