Figure 5.

Assessment of apoptosis in LNCaP cells. LNCaP cells were transfected with miR 488* mimic (50 nM) or NC mimic (50 nM) or treated with Bicalutamide (BIC; 100 µM). Mock transfected cells were treated with Lipofectamine 2000. Apoptosis was measured 4 days post transfection using a quantitative sandwich immunoassay technique (a) and Annexin V/propidium iodide staining (b). (a) The immunoassay uses specific antibodies to detect the amount of mononucleosomes and oligonucleosomes that accumulate in the cytoplasm of the apoptotic cells because of degradation of DNA. The amount of antibodies bound to degraded DNA is determined by measuring absorbance at 405 nm. Absorbance (405 nm) is thus a measure of apoptosis. Data are plotted as mean ± SE of three independent experiments. Asterisks indicate statistical significance as determined by independent samples t-test (*p < 0.05). (b) Percentage of apoptotic LNCaP cells as assessed by Annexin V/propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry. Each bar represents the early apoptotic (Annexin V-FITC positive and propidium iodide negative) cells. *p < 0.05.