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Fig. 7 | Cell Communication and Signaling

Fig. 7

From: Hepatocellular carcinoma cells remodel the pro-metastatic tumour microenvironment through recruitment and activation of fibroblasts via paracrine Egfl7 signaling

Fig. 7

Egfl7-activated CAFs promote HCC proliferation, invasion and metastasis. A MTT and colony formation assays were used to determine the proliferative ability of SMMC-7721Vector, SMMC-7721Egfl7 and SMMC-7721 cells cocultured with CAFs. B Wound healing and transwell assays showed the migratory and invasive capacities of SMMC-7721Vector, SMMC-7721Egfl7 and SMMC-7721 cocultured with CAFs. C Orthotopic tumours of mice were constructed using SMMC-7721 and SMMC-7721 cells mixed with Egfl7-activated CAFs. The mouse survival and growth curves were depicted and final tumour volumes were compared. D The intrahepatic and lung metastasis numbers of orthotopic tumours from SMMC-7721 and SMMC-7721 cells mixed with Egfl7-activated CAFs were compared. E The tumour boundary, desmoplastic stroma and α-SMA expression in orthotopic tumours from SMMC-7721 and SMMC-7721 mixed with Egfl7-activated CAFs were determined by H&E, Masson’s trichrome and immunohistochemistry staining, respectively. ***P < 0.001

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Cell Communication and Signaling

ISSN: 1478-811X