Fig. 5: MEK inhibitors synergize with cisplatin, dabrafenib or Gefitinib to induce apoptosis via PUMA in CRC cells.

a Parental and PUMA-KD RKO cells were treated with 0.5 μmol/L trametinib, 0.5 μmol/L selumetinib, 20 mg/L cisplatin, or their combination for 24 h. PUMA, cleaved caspase 3 and 9 were analyzed by Western blotting. b Parental and PUMA-KD RKO cells were treated with 0.5 μmol/L trametinib, 0.5 μmol/L selumetinib, 20 mg/L cisplatin, or their combination for 24 h. Apoptosis was analyzed by a nuclear fragmentation assay. c RKO cells were treated with 0.5 μmol/L trametinib, 1 μmol/L dabrafenib, or their combination for 24 h. Cleaved caspase 3 and 9 were analyzed by Western blotting. d Parental and PUMA-KD RKO cells were treated with 0.5 μmol/L trametinib, 1 μmol/L dabrafenib, or their combination for 24 h. Apoptosis was analyzed by a nuclear fragmentation assay. e Parental and PUMA-KD RKO cells were treated with 0.1 μmol/L trametinib, 0.2 μmol/L gefitinib, or their combination for 24 h. PUMA and cleaved caspase 3 were analyzed by Western blotting. f Parental and PUMA-KD RKO cells were treated with 0.1 μmol/L trametinib, 0.2 μmol/L gefitinib, or their combination for 24 h. Apoptosis was analyzed by a nuclear fragmentation assay. The results in b, d and f are expressed as the means ± SD of three independent experiments. ***P < 0.001, **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05