Fig. 5

Apoptosis of soft sarcoma cells treated with anticancer agents in 3D and 2D cultures. a: Flow cytometric analysis of apoptotic HOSS1 cells in 2D (upper) and 3D (lower) cultures treated with 0.02 μM Doxorubicin, 2 μM Gemcitabine, or 2 μM Docetaxel (Annexin V positive: apoptotic cells; PI positive: dead cells.) About 2–3 fold fewer HOSS1 cells were apoptotic in 3D cultures than in 2D cultures. b, c, d: HT1080, RD, SW872, and HOSS1 cells were exposed to Doxorubicin (b), Gemcitabine (c), or Docetaxel (d) in 3D and 2D cultures. Apoptosis ratios were calculated from three independent experiments for all four cell lines. ^* P < 0.05 vs respective 2D-cultured cells