Effects of Dex and IL-6 on 2ME2-induced cytotoxicity in MM cells.

(A) MM.1S cells were cultured in control media alone and with Dex (0.05 μM), 2ME2 (3 μM), or Dex + 2ME2. At 48 hours, cells were harvested and analyzed by BrdU assay. Results are mean ± SD of 3 independent experiments (P < .005). (B) MM.1S cells were treated with 2ME2 (3 μM) or Dex (0.05 μM) in the presence or absence of IL-6 (10 ng/mL). At 48 hours, cells were harvested, and viability was analyzed by MTT assay. Median viability was 41% for Dex and 78% for Dex + IL-6 (P = .05, as determined by one-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum test), whereas for 2ME2 the median viability was 45% with 2ME2 alone and 48% with 2ME2 + IL-6 (P = .20, Wilcoxon test, as above). Results are mean ± SD of 3 independent experiments.