Fig. 4: SLC38A4 depletion exerts oncogenic roles in HCC.

a Western blot analyses of SLC38A4 expression in Huh7 cells with SLC38A4 stable knockdown or control. b Cellular proliferation of Huh7 cells with SLC38A4 stable knockdown or control was measured using CCK-8 assays. c Cellular proliferation of Huh7 cells with SLC38A4 stable knockdown or control was assessed using EdU incorporation assays. Scale bar, 100 μm. d Colony formation assays of Huh7 cells with SLC38A4 stable knockdown or control. In total, 4000 cells were seeded and cultured for 10 days. e Non-adherent spheroid culture assays of Huh7 cells with SLC38A4 stable knockdown or control. f Cellular apoptosis of Huh7 cells with SLC38A4 stable knockdown or control after treatment with 2 μl/ml 3% H₂O₂ for 6 h was measured by Annexin V staining and flow cytometry. g Cellular migration of Huh7 cells with SLC38A4 stable knockdown or control was measured using transwell migration assays. Scale bar, 100 μm. h Weight and photo of subcutaneous tumours formed by Huh7 cells with SLC38A4 stable knockdown or control. Data are shown as mean ± s.d. of n = 3 independent experiments (b–g) or n = 8 mice in each group (h). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 by Student’s t test (b–g) or Mann–Whitney test (h).