Fig. 5: SREBF1 is essential for SCC cell growth and migration.

a Boxplots of IHC scores for nucleus and cytoplasmic staining of SREBF1, TP63, and KLF5 proteins in ESCC tumor and adjacent nonmalignant esophagus samples. Boxplots indicate the median (middle line), 25th, 75th percentile (box) and 5th and 95th percentile (whiskers). The numbers of samples for IHC staining are 57 (the nonmalignant) and 179 (ESCC tumors). **P < 0.01; P-values were determined by a two-sided t-test between the IHC scores of two groups. b Representative IHC images of SREBF1, TP63, and KLF5 proteins in ESCC tumor samples. Original magnification is ×400; scale bar is 50 μm. c Kaplan–Meier analyses of ESCC patient survival stratified by the protein expression of SREBF1. A Log-rank test was used for Kaplan–Meier curve, and P-value was two-tailed and significance level was 0.05. d Knockdown of SREBF1 by individual siRNAs and e treatment of Fatostatin inhibited cell proliferation in colony formation assay. Mean values are shown, three biological replicates for qRT-PCR assays and two biological replicates for colony assays. f Migration assay and g wound healing assay after knockdown of SREBF1 in ESCC cells. Mean ± SEM are shown, n = 3 (biological replicates). *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; P-values were determined by a two-sided t-test. h SREBF1 was stably silenced by shRNA in KYSE150 cell line. i Mouse xenograft assay upon knockdown of SREBF1 by shRNA or j treatment of Fatostatin (30 mg/kg/day) by intraperitoneal injection. Mean ± SEM are shown, n = 8 (the numbers of tumor in one group). *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; P-values were determined by a one-sided t-test.