Cancer Cells Die when Treated with Chemo + Inhibitor (IMAGE)
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The researchers seeded cancer cells into growth broth in 20 tiny wells of a well-plate container (image left) housed in an incubator. The cancer cells grew for a couple days and were established and healthy. The researchers then treated the cells with different combinations of chemotherapeutic, in this case paclitaxel (PTX) and vinblastine (VIN), and one of three P-gp inhibitors (29, 34 and 45). After 2-3 hours in the treatment, the cells were washed to remove the treatment compounds, in the same way a patient undergoes chemotherapy treatment, and then the treatment ends and the patient metabolizes the drugs. After four days, the cells were stained to observe the results. Cancer cells that turned purple were alive and thriving (DMSO, PTX, VIN, 29, 34, , 45 and VER). Those that didn't absorb the purple -- those with one of the drug-like compound inhibitors and with a chemotherapy -- had died. The inhibitor and chemo combined penetrated and killed the cells (29+PTX, 29+VIN, 34+PTX, 34+Vin, VER+PTX, VER+VIN). (Credit: SMU)
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