Fig. 4: Casp11 knockout attenuates primary tumor growth and angiogenesis to inhibit metastasis.

a Caspase-11(Casp11) mRNA levels in primary tumors of mock and Casp11-KO (C11KO) Lewis Lung Carcinoma (3LL) cells. b Representative images of immunoblotting analysis of Casp11 protein in mock and C11KO 3LL cells. c mRNA levels of mouse Ptgs2 and Epha2 in mock and C11KO 3LL cells. Data from the mock group were set at 1. d Diagram showing the time course of the syngeneic mouse model. e Representative macroscopic images of primary tumors of mock or C11KO 3LL cells at 28 days after injection (scale bar, 30 mm). f Primary tumor volume of mock and C11KO 3LL cells injected in the mouse (n = 10). g Primary tumor weight of mock and C11KO cells at 28 days after injection (n = 10). h Representative microscopy images of HE staining of the primary tumors of mock and C11KO cells (left panel). Higher magnifications of the left squared area are indicated on the right image (scale bar, 100 μm). The number of tumor metastases in the left lung in mice injected with mock and C11KO cells (right panel). i mRNA levels of mouse CD31 and CD34 in mock and C11KO 3LL cells. Data from the mock were set at 1. j Representative microscopy images of CD31 immunostaining of the primary tumors of mock and C11KO cells (left panel) (scale bar, 100 μm). Quantitative analysis of CD31 positive area of primary tumors of mock and C11KO cells (right panel). Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 compared with mock. Densitometry values are shown above each blot.