Fig 6. AMPK activation by AICAR is sufficient to induce apoptosis and downregulation of PKM2.

A) MCF7 cells were plated at 8X10⁵ cells/well in 6-well plates in MEM medium and treated with 10 mM metformin, 3 mM AICAR, 100 nM rapamycin or PBS as control, for 48 hours. After treatment cells were lysed and protein extracts were analysed by Western Blot with antibodies directed against mTOR (p) Ser2448, RPS6 (p) Ser240/244 and PARP (Cl). GAPDH was used as loading control. B) MCF7 cells were plated at 8X10⁵ cells/well in 6-well plates in MEM medium and treated with 10 mM metformin, 3 mM AICAR, 100 nM Rapamycin or PBS as control for 48 hours. After treatment cells were lysed and protein extracts were analysed by Western Blot with anti-mTOR (p) Ser2448 and anti-PKM2 antibodies. GAPDH was used as loading control.