Fig. 1: Host CD36 expression promotes tumor metastatic to the liver.

1 × 10⁶ LLC tumor cells were intrasplenically injected into WT and Cd36^−/− mice. a Representative metastasized livers from WT and Cd36^−/− mice on day 12 and day 18 postinjection (n = 6). b HE-stained liver sections from WT and Cd36^−/− mice on day 12 and day 18 postinjection (n = 6). Scale bar, 1000 μm. c, The number of tumor nodules (up), and the area (middle) and number of metastasized foci (down) were quantified on day 12 (n = 6). d The percentage of liver to body weight (up, n = 5), histopathologic tumor load (middle, n = 5) and the incidence of ascites (down, n = 6) were shown on 18 days. e TUNEL analysis of liver sections from WT and Cd36^−/− mice on 12 days along with the quantification (n = 6). Scale bar, 30 μm. f, g Immunohistochemistry staining of Ki67 (f, scale bar, 30 μm) and CD31 (g, scale bar, 100 μm) in metastasized foci from the WT and Cd36^−/− mice on 12 days along with the quantification (n = 6). Data are representative of two independent experiments with similar results. Values for n represent biologically independent samples. Data are mean ± SEM and P values were determined by unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.