Figure 5.

Inhibition of autophagy enhances apatinib-induced apoptosis in PTC cells. (A, B) Representative immunofluorescence images of K-1 and KTC-1 cells treated with DMSO, HCQ, apatinib, or a combination of apatinib and HCQ. (C, D) Representative transition electron microscopy images of K-1 and KTC-1 cells treated with DMSO, HCQ, apatinib, or a combination of apatinib and HCQ. Arrows: autophagosomes and autolysosomes. (E, F) Inhibition of autophagy with HCQ enhanced the apoptosis of apatinib-treated PTC cells. (G) The expression levels of autophagy- and apoptosis-related proteins were detected by western blotting after the treatment of K-1 cells with apatinib with or without HCQ. (H) K-1 cells were transfected with ATG5 siRNA, the protein expression levels of ATG5. (I) K-1 cells were transfected with ATG5 siRNA, the mRNA expression levels of ATG5. (J) After ATG5 downregulation, the expression levels of p-Akt, p-mTOR, cleaved PARP, and LC3B in K-1 cells with or without apatinib treatment were determined by western blotting. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001).