Fig. 4

HO-1 upregulation leads to resistance of PC3 cells to docetaxel-induced apoptosis via the Bcl2/Bax pathway. a and c Immunohistochemical staining of Bcl-2 (a) and Bax (c) at different stages of PC progression. 1, BPH; 2, Gleason grade 2; 3, Gleason grade 4; 4, Gleason grade 5 PC. Bars = 40 μm. b and d Bcl-2, HO-1 and Bax mRNAs were measured by qRT-PCR, the correlation between Bcl-2 and HO-1 or between Bax and HO-1 was evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis, respectively. (b, P < 0.05, R = 0.4502; (d), P < 0.05, R = −0.5529). e PC3 cells were treated with the different concentrations of Doc, and Western blot analysis detected Bcl-2 and Bax expression. Right panel shows densitometric analysis of three independent experiments. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 vs. vehicle control; ^# P < 0.05, ^## P < 0.01, ^### P < 0.001 vs. vehicle control. f PC3 cells were treated with Doc alone or together with Hemin or Znpp for 24 h, HO-1, Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by Western blot analysis. Right panel shows densitometric analysis of three independent experiments. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 vs. their corresponding control