Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor in proliferation and motility of pancreatic cancer

Figure 1 Western blotting analysis of pancreatic cell lines. Protein was isolated from cultured pancreatic cancer cell lines in 100 mL/L fetal bovine serum (FBS), and subjected to western blot analysis. It was shown clearly that all cell lines expressed IGF-IR as well as phosphorylated IGF-IR (pIGF-IR). Tubulin-α was used as an internal control. 1: MIA-Paca2; 2: NOR-P1; 3: PANC-1; 4: PK-45H; 5: PK-1; 6: PK-59; 7: KP-4.

Figure 2 MTS assay of cells cultured with inhibitors. Pancreatic cell lines were cultured in 100 mL/L FBS with picropodophyllin (PPP) (A), LY294002 (B), or PD98059 (C). After 72 h, MTS assay was performed to analyze the change in cell numbers. PPP and LY294002 significantly suppressed cell numbers, whereas PD98059 did not (^aP < 0.05, n = 3).

Figure 3 Wound assays with inhibitors. Wound assay was performed to analyze cell motility. Almost no cells cultured with PPP or LY294002 migrated > 150 μm, whereas those with PD98059 showed motility of > 150 μm (^aP < 0.05, n = 3). Solid line: Edge of scratch; Dotted line: 150 μm from a solid line. Original magnification: 4 ×; Scale bar: 100 μm. FBS: Medium with 100 mL/L FBS without any inhibitors; PPP: Medium with 2 μmol/L PPP; LY: Medium with 50 μmol/L LY294002; PD: Medium with 20 μmol/L PD98059.

Figure 4 Apoptotic cells with PPP or LY294002. Under the microscope, cells with pyknotic nuclei (arrows) were observed in medium with PPP or LY294002, whereas there were no apoptotic cells in medium with PD98059. FBS: Medium with 100 mL/L FBS; PPP: Medium with 2 μmol/L PPP; LY: Medium with 50 μmol/L LY294002; and PD: Medium with 20 μmol/L PD98059. Original magnification: 20 ×; Scale bar: 25 μm, the arrows indicate cells in apoptosis.