Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in ARPE-19 cells following treatment with vital dyes.

<p>Confluent ARPE-19 cells were treated with 0.05 mg/ml indocyanine green (ICG), acid violet (AcV), brilliant blue (BriB) and methyl blue (MetB) for 3 minutes in BSS. Total RNA and proteins were extracted to assess Bax (<b>A</b>) and Bcl-2 (<b>C</b>) mRNA expression and Bax (<b>B</b>) and Bcl-2 (<b>D</b>) protein expression by real-time PCR and Western blot respectively. GAPDH was used as the internal control. Representative Western blot gel (<i>Top</i>) of proapoptotic protein Bax (<b>B</b>) and antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 (<b>D</b>). The numbers to the left are molecular weights in kilodaltons (kDa). <i>Bottom</i>: average densitometry results from three independent experiments. (<b>E</b>) Bax/Bcl-2 protein ratio. Data are mean ± SE and represent the average results of 3 independent experiments run in duplicate. * is p<0.05, ** is p<0.01 and *** is p<0.001 versus control.