Fig. 6. Effect of duloxetine on PTX-induced cell apoptosis via p53. (A) After treatment with p53 siRNA, protein expression was examined via Western blotting methods. The expression of p53 in the Blank group was the same as that in the negative control NC siRNA group, whereas p53 expression was significantly decreased in the p53 siRNA group (*** vs. Blank, P < 0.001, α = 0.05, n = 4). (B) After treatment with p53 siRNA, cell viability was assessed (*** vs. control, P < 0.001; # vs. PTX, P < 0.05, ### vs. PTX, P < 0.001, α = 0.05, n = 4). (C) Treatment with p53 siRNA and duloxetine markedly balanced the protein expression of Bax/Bcl2 in PTX-treated DRG cells (*** vs. PTX, P < 0.001, α = 0.05, n = 4). D, duloxetine; P, paclitaxel.