Additionally, cells were treated with increasing doses of ABT-888 to assess the level of PARP-1/2 inhibition and resulting PAR protein formation. A clear dose dependent reduction in PAR levels was noted with complete abrogation with doses of 100 μmol/l and above at both 15 and 90 minute post-treatment. As a result, 100 μmol/l ABT-888 was selected for co-treatment with radiation ( Figure 2B). A corresponding dose dependent increase in PARP protein was noted

as early as 15 minutes following treatment with ABT-888 alone, and PARP levels remained elevated as a function of time in the presence of the treatment drug ( Figure 2B). Interestingly, ABT-888 see more (100 μmol/l) completely abrogated radiation-induced PAR formation to undetectable levels at both early time points ( Figure 2C). PARP protein levels were again noted to be inversely proportional to PAR protein formation with significant up-regulation following treatment with ABT-888 likely as a result of feedback inhibition. Phosphorylated-ATM levels were up-regulated after radiation treatment ITF2357 relative to controls and further induced following co-treatment with ABT-888. A PAR ELISA was utilized to assess the effect of radiation with and without ABT-888 on PARP activity and to provide a quantitative means of assessing PARP-inhibition. Six-hours post-treatment with

2 Gy (IC20), led to significant 23% increase in PARP activity relative to untreated controls (P < .05; Figure 3A). This was further reduced by 41% following co-treatment with 10 μmol/l ABT-888 (IC10; P < .05) and similar to immunoblot data, this level of abrogated activity was not significantly different when compared to cells treated with ABT-888 (10 μmol/l; P < .32) alone, suggesting Ketotifen maximal inhibition

was occurring independent of treatment with radiation. To help determine the mechanism of cytotoxicity, caspase 3/7 levels were assessed 48 hours after treatment with radiation (2 Gy), ABT-888 (10 μmol/l), or a combination of the two ( Figure 3B). Whereas treatment with ABT-888 alone failed to induce significant caspase-3/7 activity, treatment with radiation led to a 1.69-fold increase (P < .05) in levels relative to untreated controls and these were further enhanced to 1.99 (P < .05) following the addition of ABT-888 suggesting increased apoptotic cell death. Utilizing a previously reported small animal pancreatic cancer radiation research model, MiaPaCa-2-derived orthotopic tumors were treated with BLI-guided, focused radiation (5 Gy), ABT-888 (25 mg/kg), or a combination of the two [19]. Co-treatment with ABT-888 resulted in significant tumor growth inhibition of 36 days relative to controls treated with saline sham injection (Figure 4). This was significantly greater than tumors treated with either radiation (28 days) or ABT-888 (10 days) alone. The addition of ABT-888 to radiation also translated into a significant overall survival benefit compared to either treatment alone (Figure 5).