Fig. 7

The combination of apatinib and CQ sensitized cells to paclitaxel, which induced their apoptosis via the IRE-1α–AKT–mTOR pathway. a–e ECA-109 and KYSE-150 cells were treated with 5 nM paclitaxel with or without apatinib and CQ for 24 h after transfection with control siRNA or IRE-1α siRNA. The expression levels of related genes were measured by western blotting. f–m Cells were treated with paclitaxel or apatinib and CQ with or without SC79 (4 μg/ml). The expression levels of related genes were measured by western blotting (f–j). The number of apoptotic cells was assessed by Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide (PI) staining (k–m). n–r Cells were treated with paclitaxel or apatinib and CQ with or without rapamycin (1 nM). The expression levels of related genes were measured by western blotting. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001 compared with control group. (P, paclitaxel; A, apatinib; C, CQ; R, rapamycin)