FIGURE 4: Treatment with a cathepsin inhibitor or monensin reduces LeuLeu-OMe-induced cell death.

(A) Cells were treated with 10 µM Z-Phe-Ala or 30 µM LeuLeu-OMe, alone or in combination.

(B) Cells pre-treated with 100 nM monensin for 30 min was then cultivated in the presence or absence of 30 µM LeuLeu-OMe. While monensin treatment alone had no observable effects on parasite growth (compared to control), monensin treatment significantly reduced LeuLeu-OMe-induced cytotoxicity. Results were presented as mean ± SD from 3 independent experiments. p value for the samples treated with LeuLeu-OMe only or LeuLeu-OMe + monensin at 6 h time point is indicated next to the bracket.