Fig. 2

Effects of levobupivacaine on apoptosis of breast cancer cells. a, b MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cells were treated with different concentrations of levobupivacaine for 24 h. The cells were then stained with fluorescein-conjugated annexin V and PI and analysed by flow cytometry. Error bars represent standard error of the mean. P < 0.05 versus the control. c, d Relative gene expression of Bax and Bcl-2 following the treatment of breast cancer cells with different concentrations of levobupivacaine for 24 h and analysed by qPCR. e, f MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cells were treated with different concentrations of levobupivacaine for 24 h and the activities of Bax, Bcl-2, and Active caspase 3 were examined by Western blot analysis using specific antibodies. GAPDH was used as internal controls. The data was statistically significant at * indicates P < 0.05; ** indicates P < 0.01 compared with control. The data correspond to the mean ± SEM of three independent experiments