Figure 4

miR-149 inhibits the stem-like characteristics of GC cells through IL-6. (A) Aldeflour assay by flow cytometry of ALDH^high cells in SGC-7901 cells cultured in CM from CAF^NC or CAF^miR-149 in the presence or absence of IL-6 as indicated. Representative flow cytometric analysis was shown. (B) Side population (SP) cells in SGC-7901 cells cultured as in A were measured by flow cytometry. SGC-7901 cells were stained with Hoechst 33342 dye in the presence (upper panel) or absence (bottom panel) of verapamil. Representative flow cytometric analysis was shown. (C) ALDH^high cells in SGC-7901 cells cultured in the CM from NF^anti-NC or NF^anti-miR-149 in the presence or absence of IL-6 antibody as indicated by flow cytometric analysis. (D) SP cells in SGC-7901 cells cultured in the CM as in C and analyzed as in B. (E) Representative images of spheroid body from SGC-7901 cells cultured as in A or C (magnification 100×). (F) The rates of sphere formation were quantified. All data are means ± SD of three independent experiments. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, student's t-test.