STAT3-mediated activation of mitochondrial pathway contributes to antitumor effect of dihydrotanshinone I in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells

Figure 7 STAT3 knockdown promotes dihydrotanshinone I-induced apoptosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells. A: Knockdown efficiency of STAT3 and phosphorylated STAT3 identified using Western blot in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells; B and C: Knockdown efficiency of STAT3 identified using RT-qPCR in KYSE30 cells and Eca109 cells; D: Apoptosis-related morphological changes in STAT3 knockdown cells detected using Hoechst 33258 staining in KYSE30/sh-vector and KYSE30/shSTAT3 cells treated with 0.5 μmol/L DHTS; E: Apoptosis-related morphologic changes detected using Hoechst 33258 staining in Eca109/sh-vector and Eca109/shSTAT3 cells treated with 5 μmol/L DHTS; F: Cell apoptosis analyzed using flow cytometry with annexin V-PE/7-ADD double staining in KYSE30/sh-vector and KYSE30/shSTAT3 cells treated with 0.5 μmol/L DHTS; G: Cell apoptosis analyzed using flow cytometry with annexin V-PE/7-ADD double staining in Eca109/sh-vector and Eca109/shSTAT3 cells treated with 5 μmol/L. ^aP < 0.05.