Fig. 5: MAPK7/MMP9 signalling localises to the invasive margin.
From: Targeting the MAPK7/MMP9 axis for metastasis in primary bone cancer
a Fluorescence imaging to detect active MMP9 in tumours in vivo. Tumours lacking MAPK7 had no detectable MMP9 activity. Images are from size-matched control and shMAPK7 tumours. b Quantified FLI signal in tumours over time. FLI signal indicative of MMP9 activity increases over time in control, but not shMAPK7 tumours. c IHC analysis of tumour biopsies. shMAPK7 tumours display marked reduction in MAPK7 expression, but still display MAPK7-positive cells in the stroma (arrow). MMP9 expression was observed at the leading edge of control tumours (arrow), but was undetectable in shMAPK7 tumour biopsies. Scale bar is 100 μM. d qPCR analysis of ex vivo tumour lysates. shMAPK7 tumours have significantly less MMP9 mRNA expression. MMP9 mRNA levels were normalised to PGK1 (p ≤ 0.001). Representative images are used to describe data collected from 12 mice per group. Data are mean ± SD of three biological replicates. *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.001.
