Fig 1.
Expression of ERβ on FaDu and Detroit cells. Western blot analysis demonstrates the effect of MeP and MeP + Q and MeP + Lut on the expression of ER ERβ ıν FaDu (A) and Detroit 562 (B) cells. Error bars represent the SD (±SD) of the mean values from two independent experiments per each line. *Difference with cells untreated with MeP (p < 0.05). ERs, estrogen receptors; MeP, Methylparaben; SD, standard deviation.
Fig 2.
Expression of the autophagy-related proteins in FaDu and Detroit cells. Western blot analysis demonstrates the effect of MeP and MeP + Q and MeP + Lut on the expression of beclin-1, LC3β, APG5, ATG7 proteins in FaDu (A) and Detroit 562 (B) cells. Error bars represent the SD (±SD) of the mean values from two independent experiments per each line. *Difference with cells untreated with MeP; adifference from cells treated with MeP + Q (p < 0.05); bdifference from cells treated with MeP + Lut (p < 0.05). MeP, Methylparaben; SD, standard deviation.
Fig 3.
Apoptosis in FaDu cells. Representative flow cytometry (FACS) analysis via Annexin V-FITC/PI staining for 48 h is presented. The bar graphs present the percentage of apoptotic cells as a sum of Q1 (late apoptosis) and Q3 quadrants (early apoptosis); necrotic cells as Q2 quadrants and viable cells as Q4 quadrants. Mean values from three independent experiments ± SD are presented. The bar graphs present the percentage of apoptotic cells. *Difference with cells untreated with MeP; adifference with cells treated with MeP + Q (p < 0.05). MeP, Methylparaben; SD, standard deviation.
Fig 4.
Apoptosis in Detroit 562 cells. Representative flow cytometry (FACS) analysis via Annexin V-FITC/PI staining for 48 h is presented. The bar graphs present the percentage of apoptotic cells as a sum of Q1 (late apoptosis) and Q3 quadrants (early apoptosis); necrotic cells as Q2 quadrants and viable cells as Q4 quadrants. Mean values from three independent experiments ± SD are presented. The bar graphs present the percentage of apoptotic cells. *Difference with cells untreated with MeP (p < 0.05); adifference from cells treated with MeP + Q (p < 0.05); bdifference from cells treated with MeP + Lut (p < 0.05). MeP, Methylparaben; SD, standard deviation.
Fig 5.
Expression of mitochondrial proteins in FaDu and Detroit 562 cells. Western blot analysis demonstrates the effect of MeP and MeP + Q and MeP + Lut on the expression of caspase 3, Bcl-2, and Bax proteins in FaDu (A) and Detroit 562 (B) cells. The representative bands of the analyzed proteins to β-actin are illustrated. Samples containing 30 μg of protein were submitted to electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Error bars represent the (±SD) of the mean values from two independent experiments per line. *Difference with cells untreated with MeP; adifference with cells treated with MeP + Q (p < 0.05); bdifference with cells treated with MeP + Lut (p < 0.05). MeP, Methylparaben; Methylparaben; SD, standard deviation.
Fig 6.
Percentage of proliferating FaDu cells. Cytometric analysis of the percentage of proliferating FaDu cells after 48-h incubation with MeP and MeP + Q and MeP + Lut. Error bars represent the SD (±SD) of the mean values from two independent experiments per line. *Difference with cells untreated with MeP; adifference with cells treated with MeP + Q (p < 0.05); bdifference with cells treated with MeP + Lut (p < 0.05); cdifference between cells treated with MeP + Lut and cells treated with MeP + Q (p < 0.05). MeP, Methylparaben; SD, standard deviation.
Fig 7.
Percentage of proliferating Detroit 562 cells. Cytometric analysis of the percentage of proliferating Detroit 562 cells after 48-h incubation with MeP and MeP + Q and MeP + Lut. Error bars represent the SD (±SD) of the mean values from two independent experiments per each line. *Difference with cells untreated with MeP (p < 0.05). MeP, Methylparaben; SD, standard deviation.
Fig 8.
Expression of signaling proteins in FaDu and Detroit 562 cells. Western blot analysis demonstrates the effect of MeP and MeP + Q and MeP + Lut on the expression of pPI3K, pAKT1/2/3, survivin proteins in FaDu (A) and Detroit 562 (B) cells. The representative bands of the analyzed proteins to β-actin are illustrated. Samples containing 30 μg of protein were submitted to electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Error bars represent the SD (±SD) of the mean values from two independent experiments per line. *Difference with cells untreated with MeP (p < 0.05). MeP, Methylparaben; SD, standard deviation.