Fig. 2

DHQ3 and 17-DR induced various forms of death in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. a Flow cytometric analysis of cell death after treatment with DHQ3 or 17-DR for 24 h using PI staining. b Cells treated with analogs for 24 h were analyzed using an Annexin V-FITC/PI assay. c Cells were treated with the indicated concentrations of analogs for 24 h, subjected to DAPI staining (showing nucleus) and visualized by fluorescence microscopy. White arrowheads indicate dead cells. d Reduction in ATP production after analogs treatment. Cellular levels of ATP were measured after 5 h. e DHQ3 induced necroptosis, while 17-DR induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. Electron microscopy of cells treated for 24 h with DMSO, 200 μM DHQ3 or 200 μM 17-DR. White arrowheads denote chromatin pyknosis in cells treated with 17-DR