Fig. 2
From: Promotion of growth factor signaling as a critical function of β-catenin during HCC progression
Membrane-localized β-catenin promotes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) growth. a Immunohistochemistry (IHC) of control (CTRL) mouse liver and triple knockout (TKO) HCC for β-catenin. Scale bar = 100 μm (top), 25 μm (bottom). b β-Catenin expression in CTRL livers (n = 3), primary TKO HCC (n = 5), and serially transplanted TKO HCC tumors (Serial) (n = 4), as determined by immunoblot. c Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis for ctnnb1 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in CTRL (n = 4) livers and TKO HCC (n = 9). d Immunofluorescence (IF) of TKO HCC cells for β-catenin (red) and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) (blue). Scale bar = 25 μm. e Graphic representation of shβcat1–4 indicating the targeted region within ctnnb1 mRNA. f, g Knockdown (KD) efficiency of the shβcat1–4 compared to the empty vector (CTRL) or vector expressing a scrambled hairpin (scr) was determined by f immunoblot and g RT-qPCR (n > 3). h Growth curve of TKO HCC cells upon β-catenin KD with shβcat2–4 (n > 4). i Representative fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) plot for AnnexinV-FITC expression on TKO HCC cells upon β-catenin KD with shβcat2–4 (n = 3). j AnnexinV-FITC analysis of TKO HCC cells in upon β-catenin KD with shβcat2–4 (n = 3). k Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation analysis of TKO HCC cells upon β-catenin KD with shβcat3 and 4 (n = 3). l Subcutaneous tumors from nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (nod/scid) mice injected with TKO HCC cells expressing CTRL or shβcat3. m IF of TKO HCC organoids for β-catenin (red) and DAPI (blue). Scale bar = 25 μm. n Fold difference in the number of TKO HCC organoids upon β-catenin KD with shβcat3. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. **p < 0.01 and ***p < 0.001. n.s. not significant. See also Supplementary Fig. 2
