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Figure 2 | Breast Cancer Research

Figure 2

From: Mechanisms underlying the growth inhibitory effects of the cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib in human breast cancer cells

Figure 2

Celecoxib induces apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. (a) Flow cytometric analysis of vehicle-treated and celecoxib-treated cells stained with annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) was done 48 hours after treatment. The population shown in the figure is total apoptotic cells, which includes early and late apoptosis. Significant induction of apoptosis was observed in the MDA-MB-231 cells at 40 and 60 μmol/l concentrations of celecoxib. Apoptosis was not induced in MDA-MB-468 cells. Mean values of three experiments ± standard deviation is shown. P values represent significant differences between vehicle control and celecoxib treatment. (b–e) Celecoxib induces formation of apoptotic bodies in MDA-MB-231 cells. Shown are confocal images of MDA-MB-231 cells subjected to 48 hours of celecoxib (60 μmol/l) treatment. Cells were stained with CFSE (panel d) and then fixed in 95% ethanol and stained with PI (panel c). Cells were visualized in a confocal microscope (Carl Zeiss Inc.) using excitation wavelengths of 488 nm (for CFSE) and 543 nm (for PI). Loss of integrity of nuclear envelope and formation of peripheral, sharply delineated masses of condensed chromatin or apoptotic bodies are visualized. Panel b represents phase contrast images of the cells and panel e represents colocalization of CFSE and PI. Images were taken 200×.

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