Fig. 1.

Hypoxia promoted proliferation and chemoresistance to Hsp90 inhibitor 17-DMAG in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. HepG2 and Huh7 cells were grown under normoxia (20 % O₂ and 5 % CO₂, 37 °C) or hypoxia (1 % O₂, 5 % CO₂, and 94 % N₂, 37 °C). CCK-8 assay was performed according to the manufacturer’s instruction. a Hypoxia effect was confirmed by the increased level of HSF1. b Hypoxia promoted cell proliferation both in HepG2 and in Huh7 cells. c The proliferative inhibition effect of 17-DMAG on HepG2 and Huh7 cells under normoxia and hypoxia after 24-h treatment with 17-DMAG. The inhibition rate was significantly decreased under hypoxia. Data are presented as mean ± SD of three independent experiments (*p < 0.05, hypoxia vs. normoxia)