Fig. 2

PAK1 knock-down (KD) inhibits proliferation and increases gemcitabine sensitivity. PANC-1 (a) and MiaPaCa-2 (b) PAK1 KD cells were generated using shRNA transfection. As detected by western blot, clones 2.05 and 2.10; and clones 3.09 and 3.12 for PANC-1 and MiaPaCa-2, respectively, expressed significantly less PAK1 than negative control (NC) clones, which had been transfected with a scrambled shRNA. The proliferation rate of the KD clones for both PANC-1 (c) and MiaPaCa-2 (d), measured by thymidine incorporation, was significantly lower after 96 h. Sensitivity of the KD clones to gemcitabine (20 nM and 50 nM for PANC-1 (e), and 50nM and 100nM for MiaPaCa-2 (f)) was significantly increased. The data represent mean ± SEM, summarised from three independent experiments. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, compared to either NC clone (only the higher p value of the two is presented)