Fig. 6.

Inhibition of HSF1 expression induces caspase-3 activation in pancreatobiliary tumor cell lines. HSF1 expression was inhibited by HSF1 siRNA #1 and #2. Caspase-3 activation was measured by a luminescence-based method. Cells treated with transfection medium (Lipofectamine 2000) alone were used as controls. Cells transfected with nonsilencing siRNA were used as additional controls. Inhibition of HSF1 expression by both siRNA sequences leads to a time-dependent increase in caspase-3 activation in the pancreatic cancer cell lines MIA PaCa-2 (A) and S2-013 (C). Similar results were observed in the cholangiocarcinoma cell lines KMCH (B) and KMBC (D). Values are means ± SE; n ≥ 4. *P < 0.05 vs. transfection medium-only (control).