Additional file 2 of A novel melittin nano-liposome exerted excellent anti-hepatocellular carcinoma efficacy with better biological safety

The effects of melittin nano-liposomes on the proliferation and apoptosis of tumor cells. (a) Proliferation inhibiting rates of melittin and melittin nano-liposomes on various HCC cells lines including LM-3, Bel-7402, SMMC-7721, HepG2, and L02 cells. (b) Cell nucleus staining by DAPI to observe the apoptosis of Bel-7402 and SMMC-7721 cells after treated with vehicle, blank liposomes (1 μM), melittin (1 μM), or melittin nano-liposomes (1 μM) for 24 h. (c) Fluorescence staining of Annexin V-FITC and PI to detect the apoptosis of HepG2 cells after treatment with melittin and Melittin nano-liposomes for 24 h and observed by fluorescence microscope. HepG2 cells were pretreated with Z-VAD-FMK for 6 hours, and melittin and Melittin nano-liposomes were subsequently administered at a concentration of 2 μM. (PDF 848 kb)