Fig. 6: SMYD3 promoted HCC progression via S1PR1.

CCK8 (A), colony formation (B), cell cycle (C), and apoptosis (D) assays were performed to evaluate cell proliferation and migration in response to the overexpression or knockdown of SMYD3 combined with the overexpression or knockdown of S1PR1 in Huh7, SK-Hep1, and Hep3B cells. Data are presented as the means ± SD of three separate experiments, each of which was performed in triplicate. E Nude mice were subcutaneously inoculated with Huh7 cells transfected with control, SMYD3 overexpression, SMYD3 shRNA, S1PR1 overexpression, and SMYD3 shRNA combined with S1PR1 overexpression vectors. Photographs show mice bearing subcutaneous tumors from each group (upper panel) or the dissected tumors (lower panel) (n = 5). F Tumor volumes were measured and recorded every 3 days, and tumor growth curves were created for each group. G The weight of the local tumors from each group was measured. H Western blots showing SMYD3, S1PR1, p-AKT, AKT, p-STAT3, STAT3, p-Erk1/2, and Erk1/2 expression levels in Huh7 tumors. Bar = 50 μm. The image is representative of two experiments. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01.