Fig. 7

hNET-homing peptides-targeted nanovehicles show pronounced cytotoxicity, enabled by formation of ROS and deregulation of anti- and pro-apoptotic genes. a Induction of early and late apoptosis stained by Annexin V and 7-AAD after a 6-h treatment with 20 µM Elli in the form of free Elli, FRT-Elli, FRT-Elli-GASNGINAYLC and FRT-Elli-SLWERLAYGIC. b Formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS, red) after 6-h with 20 µM Elli (green) in the form of free Elli, FRT-Elli, FRT-Elli-GASNGINAYLC and FRT-Elli-SLWERLAYGIC. Nuclear counterstain (blue) was done using Hoechst 33342. Scale bar, 50 µm. c Real-time proliferation measurement of SH-SY5Y cells after treatment with 20 µM Elli in the form of free Elli, FRT-Elli, FRT-Elli-GASNGINAYLC and FRT-Elli-SLWERLAYGIC over the course of 24 h. Arrow shows the time-point of treatment. d The expression of cancer progression proteins Bcl-2, p53 and survivin upon 24 h treatment with 10 µM Elli in the form of free Elli (2), FRT-Elli (3), FRT-Elli-GASNGINAYLC (4) and FRT-Elli-SLWERLAYGIC (5) compared with expression in untreated cells (1). *indicates significance at p < 0.05 in relative expression between treated and untreated cells