Figure 3 | Scientific Reports

Figure 3

From: Apoptosome activation, an important molecular instigator in 6-mercaptopurine induced Leydig cell death

Figure 3

6 MP produces ROS generation and caspase activation

(a) Leydig cell viability upon exposure to 6 MP with and without the xanthine oxidase inhibitor, febuxostat. (b) GSH levels in control and 6 MP treated Leydig cells. (c) ROS and (d) viability measurements of 6 MP treated Leydig cells ± ROS scavenger, N-Acetylcysteine (NAC). (e) Viability of 6 MP treated Leydig cells ± caspase inhibitors. (f) Cleaved PARP protein levels in Leydig cells treated with 6 MP or 6 MP plus a caspase 9 inhibitor. PARP was normalized by Vdac expression (graph on right, quantitated using ImageJ). (g) ROS levels in cells treated with either 6 MP plus a caspase 8 (IETD) or caspase 9 inhibitor (LEHD). (h) Schematic depicting ROS formation leading to mitochondrial cytochrome c release and caspase 9 activation, which can be abrogated by either inhibiting ROS by NAC or caspases by a specific caspase 9 or pan-caspase inhibitor. All error bars are mean ± SEM. *p ≤ 0.05.

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