β-escin reverses multidrug resistance through inhibition of the GSK3β/β-catenin pathway in cholangiocarcinoma

Figure 3 Down-regulation of P-glycoprotein induced by β-escin via inhibiting the activation of the GSK3β/β-catenin pathway. A: The activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway assessed by TCF/LEF responsive luciferase reporter activity in QBC939 and QBC939/5-FU cells after treatment with β-escin. Data were shown as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments; B: Western blot analysis of GSK3β and β-catenin expression in QBC939 and QBC939/5-FU cells treated with a series of concentrations of β-escin; C: Western blot analysis of GSK3β and P-gp in QBC939 and QBC939/5-FU cells after different treatments for 24 h. β-actin used as loading control. E: β-escin (20 μmol/L); W: Wnt3a (50 μg/L); C: Control (PBS). ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01 vs control. TCF: T-cell factor; LEF: Lymphoid enhancer factor.