Combination of SAHA+PL and the hybrid compound 1–58 induce DNA strand breaks. (A) U937 cells were treated with SAHA, PL, SAHA+PL, or 1–58 for 20 h and then subjected to alkaline comet assay analysis. Representative images are shown. (B) Comet assay results are graphed as median percent DNA in the tail from 4 replicate gels ± s.e.m. *indicates p < 0.05 and **indicates p < 0.005. (C) U937 cells were treated with SAHA, PL, SAHA+PL, or 1–58 for 24 h and then whole cell lysates were subjected to Western blotting. The fold changes for the γH2AX, CHK1, and RAD51 densitometry measurements, normalized to β-actin, and then compared to no drug treatment control, are indicated. (D) U937 cells were treated with SAHA, PL, SAHA+PL, or 1–58 for 24 h, and then whole cell lysates were subjected to Western blotting. The fold changes for the Bim, and XIAP densitometry measurements, normalized to β-actin, and then compared to no drug treatment control, are indicated.