Development of Novel Photosensitizer Using the Buddleja officinalis Extract for Head and Neck Cancer

Figure 5

Effects of BO-PDT on autophagy. Acidic vesicular organelle (AVO) formation was detected using acridine orange staining. (a) Microscopic photos taken at ×100 magnification. (b) The cells were subjected to western blot to measure pmTOR, mTOR, ATG5, beclin-1, and LC3-II levels. (c, d) Western blot, performed to measure the expression levels of pAMPK, AMPK, pAKT, and AKT. Equal protein loading was confirmed by the antibody reaction to GAPDH. Protein levels were measured by densitometry, and their relative levels were compared. Nontreated condition versus BO: # P < 0.05; ## P < 0.001; BO versus BO-PDT: P < 0.05; P < 0.01.

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