Figure 2

Relationship between multiple myeloma cells and mesenchymal stem cells under co-culture conditions. (A) Multiplication of multiple myeloma (MM) cells under co-culture with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). (B) Western blot analyses of apoptosis markers. Expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-8 in MM cells with or without co-culture with MSCs were analyzed through western blotting at 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours (lower table arranged to numerical value from upper data). (C) Apoptotic analysis through fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) (x axis, Annexin V; y axis, 7AAD-positive cells). Apoptosis of MM cells with or without co-culture with MSCs was detected and quantified through FACS at 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours (lower table arranged from upper data). Data presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD) for two parallel experiments. #P <0.05 versus the control group (Cont.). (D) Rate of apoptotic MM cells under co-culture with MSCs. The microscope pictures represent typical reactions of MM cells in fluorescence staining, where MM cells were prestained for carboxyfluorescein diacetate, succinimidyl ester (CFSE; green) and apoptosis markers using Annexin V and 7AAD (red). Lower table arranged to numerical value from upper data. Data presented as mean ± SD for two parallel experiments. #P <0.05 versus the control group (Cont.). DAPI, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole.