BIK mediates cisplatin-induced cell death in HCT-116 wt cellular spheroids, but not in HCT-116 p53 -/- spheroids.

<p>(A) HCT-116 wt and HCT-116 p53 -/- cells were transfected with BIK siRNA or scrambled siRNA for 24h. Cells were subsequently grown in 24-well 3D Algimatrix plates in the presence of RNAi duplexes. Microscopic evaluation of spheroids was done to verify that siRNA treatments did not interfere with the 3D growth of HCT-116 cells. (B) The efficiency of BIK depletion by RNA interference in HCT-116 wt and HCT-116 p53 -/- was determined by immunoblot analysis. Actin was probed as loading control. (C) Spheroids were treated with cisplatin (200 μM) for 48h and cell viability was assessed by using alamarBlue assay (mean±SEM, n = 3, *P<0.05).