Fig. 3

Effects of exemestane, rofecoxib and exemestane and rofecoxib combination on cell growth in Ist Mes1, Ist Mes2 and MPP89 cells. MPM cells were cultured in the absence (CNTR) or presence of 35µM exemestane (EXE) or 35µM rofecoxib (ROF) or 35µM exemestane and 35µM rofecoxib combination (EXE + ROF) for 24 and 48 h. The graphs represent the number of vital Ist Mes1 (A), Ist Mes2 (B) and MPP89 (C) cells. D The combination index (CI)-plot of MPM cells treated with EXE + ROF. CI values above 1.1 indicate antagonistic, 0.9 to 1.1 additive, 0.7 to 0.9 moderately synergistic, 0.3 to 0.7 synergistic, and < 0.3 strongly synergistic. Cell cycle analysis after propidium iodide staining was performed by flow cytometry in MPM cells untreated (CNTRL) or treated with EXE, ROF and EXE + ROF for 48 h. The percentages of Ist Mes1 (E), Ist Mes2 (F) and MPP89 (G) cells in different phases of cell cycle were reported in graphs. Data are expressed as mean ± SD of at least three independent experiments. Statistically significant effects (paired Student t test P < 0.05) compared to CNTR *, EXE # or ROF § H Western blots of cell cycle and apoptosis protein expression in Ist Mes1, Ist Mes2 and MPP89 cells treated with EXE, ROF and EXE + ROF for 48 h