Fig. 6: Induction of VEGF-C mRNA decay abrogates lymphatic metastasis.

a qRT-PCR analysis of VEGF-C mRNA expression in the indicated esophageal cancer cells. b Quantification of migrating LECs incubated with the indicated CM. c Relative tube length of LECs under treatment of the indicated CM. d The role of ZFP36 in the inhibition of lymphatic metastasis was examined by the inguinal lymph node metastasis model. Shown are the representative IHC staining of VEGF-C in footpad tumors from each group (n = 6). Scale bars: 50 µm. e qRT-PCR analysis of VEGF-C mRNA expression in the indicated footpad tumors (n = 6/group). f, g Representative images and quantification of intra-tumoral and peri-tumoral lymphatic vessels in footpad tumors as indicated by dual-IF of LYVE-1 and PDPN and IHC staining of LYVE-1. Scale bars: 50 µm. h Representative image of inguinal LNs. The volumes of LNs from each group were quantified. i Representative IHC staining images of squamous cell carcinoma marker p63 in LNs. The p63-positive cells indicated the metastatic KYSE180 cells in LNs and were enlarged in the insets. Scale bars: 500 µm. j qRT-PCR analysis of human HPRT1 relative to mouse GAPDH in the LNs from each group. The ratio indicated the proportion of metastatic cells. Each error bar in a–c represents the mean ± SD of three biological replicates. Data in e–h, j represent the mean ± SD derived from tumor mouse models (n = 6 mice/group). Two-sided Student’s t test was used for all panels. Source data are provided as a Source data file.