Figure 3.

ROS was an executioner of shikonin-induced glioma cell necrosis. (A) Pretreatment with 40 μmol/L MnTBAP for 1 h significantly attenuated the shikonin-induced generation of mitochondrial superoxide. (B) The increased levels of intracellular ROS resulting from shikonin treatment were markedly prevented in the presence of MnTBAP. (C) The LDH release assay showed that 40 μmol/L MnTBAP significantly inhibited shikonin-induced cell death in SHG-44, U251, U87 and C6 glioma cells. (D) Flow cytometry analysis proved that shikonin-induced glioma cell necrosis was markedly prevented by MnTBAP in SHG-44 and U251 glioma cells. The values are expressed as the mean±SD (n=5 per group). ^*P<0.01 versus the control group.