Figure 1.

PIs selectively decrease the proliferation of CSCs compared with the total tumor population while salinomycin is efficient on both populations. Dose-response curves for the PI-induced inhibition of cell proliferation for CSCs (open circle) or the total tumor population (closed circles) from an adenocarcinoma in response to the potassium ionophore salinomycin (a) and to NFV (b), RTV (c), SQV (d). Grey zones represent the plasma concentrations of the corresponding PI in treated patients, as reported in the literature. The results represent the mean±S.E.M. of three experiments carried out in triplicate. Error bars were omitted when the S.E.M. was smaller than the size of the symbol. IC₅₀s were calculated from the curves