Activation of caspases and ROS production.

<p>Caspase-9 (A), caspase-8 (B) and caspase-7 (C) activities of MCF-7aro cells treated with exemestane after 3 days. The effects of 3-MA on caspase activities were also studied. Cells cultured with T were considered as control, cells treated with STS were considered as positive control and with Z-VAD-FMK was negative control. The results are presented as relative luminescence units (RLU). (D) ROS in MCF-7aro cells treated with exemestane after 3 days. It was also studied the effects of 3-MA. Cells cultured with T were considered as control and cells treated with PMA were as positive control for ROS production. The results are presented as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). Results are the mean ± SEM of three independent experiments performed in triplicate. Significant differences between the control T versus treated cells, or between the control plus 3-MA versus cells with exemestane plus 3-MA are indicated by * (p<0.05), ** (p<0.01) and *** (p<0.001); between the cells treated with exemestane versus cells with exemestane plus 3-MA are indicated by ^# (p<0.05); between the cells treated with exemestane versus cells with exemestane plus Z-VAD-FMK are indicated by ^§§§ (p<0.001).