Figure 6

Rab25 increases tumorigenesis and metastasis. (a) Tumors from mice subcutaneously injected with stably transfected SKOV-3 cells with indicated vectors. Tumor dimensions were measured with calipers every 3 days (vector group number; n=5, Rab25 group number; n=15, mean±s.d. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001 versus vector). (b) Lungs from mice intravenously injected with stably transfected SKOV-3 cells with indicated vectors (vector group number; n=5, Rab25 group number; n=10). (c) Hematoxylin and eosin stain of lungs tissues. Original magnification, × 40. (d) Rab25, VEGFR-1, VEGF-A, Snail and fascin mRNA levels in tumors derived from lung tissue from mice. (e) Immunohistochemical staining for Rab25, VEGFR-1, Snail and fascin in the lung tissue of mice. Scale bar, 100 μm. Representative results are presented from the tissues of four lungs with similar results. (f) Working model of the Rab25-induced cancer cell aggressiveness. Rab25 activates a β1 integrin/EGFR/VEGFR-1/VEGF-A signaling axis and subsequently induces Snail and fascin expression, leading to cancer cell EMT and metastasis.