Figure 1.

The specific relative cell viability (%) of CLL cells cultured alone with increasing concentrations of chemotherapeutic agents for 1 day. CLL cells were cultured alone with increasing concentrations of GSI XII (a), Fludarabine (b), Cyclophosphamide (c), Bendamustine (d), Prednisone (e) and Hydrocortisone (f) for 1 day. Viable CLL cells were quantified by flow cytometry as percentage of Annexin V⁻/7-AAD⁻ (lower left quadrant) after electronic gating on CD5⁺CD19⁺CD45⁺ CLL cells. The percentage of specific viable CLL cells was calculated according to the following formula: 100-((test (inhibitor-induced apoptosis)–control (spontaneous apoptosis)) × 100/(100–control)).³⁰ Statistical analysis was carried out by using one-way analysis of variance, Holm–Sidak test. *P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Data were represented as mean±SD of twelve independent experiments.