Figure 7
Cytostatic and cytotoxic effects on EBC-1 cells. Viability assays were performed on EBC-1 cells in the presence and absence of LL-37 and hemin or biliverdin as described in the “Materials and methods” section. (a) Live cell percentage after treatment with LL-37 at the indicated peptide concentrations alone or mixed with hemin or biliverdin at peptide to small molecule molar ratios of 1:3, or with hemin also at 1:1 ratio. Live cell percentage was calculated in relation to untreated control cells. Data are mean ± SEM, n = 3. (b) Bright field microscopic images of EBC-1 cells after 3 h treatment with LL-37 (17 µM), hemin or biliverdin (33 µM), or LL-37 (17 µM) premixed with hemin or biliverdin. Note the dark spots observed in the background around the cells for LL-37 + hemin (1:3), indicating formation of peptide-hemin associates.
