Extended Data Fig. 6: STAT3 signalling in hepatocytes promotes the formation of a pro-metastatic niche in the liver.
From: Hepatocytes direct the formation of a pro-metastatic niche in the liver
a, b, Representative images and quantification of pSTAT3+ hepatocytes (n = 3 technical replicates per condition) treated with or without IL-6 (a) or anti-IL-6R (b). Arrows indicate pSTAT3+ hepatocytes. SN, pancreatic tumour supernatant. Data representative of two independent experiments. For c–f and n, n = 4 for Stat3flox/flox mice and n = 8 and 7 for Stat3flox/flox Alb-cre mice orthotopically injected with PBS or PDAC cells, respectively. c, mRNA levels of Fn1 in the liver. d, Images of sinusoids (brown, stained for CD31) in the liver. e, Images of pancreas and primary tumour stained for CD31 (brown), CK19 (yellow), and Ki-67 (purple). f, Quantification of the weight of pancreas or primary tumour (left), number of Ki-67+ tumour cells (middle), and vascular area (right). Data representative of one experiment (c–f). g, Study design for h–l (n = 4 and 5 for Stat3flox/flox mice and Stat3flox/flox Alb-cre mice, respectively). All groups were injected with PDAC–YFP cells on day 10. h, Flow cytometric analysis. i, Quantification of PDAC–YFP cells. j, k, Images of the liver showing metastatic lesions (yellow, CK19) and Ki-67 (purple). Scale bars, 4 mm (j) and 200 μm (k). l, Quantification of lesions (left) and Ki-67+ tumour cells (right). Data representative of one experiment (g–l). m, Images of SAA detected by immunohistochemistry (brown, n = 5 for wild-type mice orthotopically injected with PBS or PDAC cells). Dashed lines and asterisks indicate sinusoids and hepatocytes, respectively. n, Images of Saa1 and Saa2 mRNA (brown) detected by RNA in situ hybridization. Data representative of one experiment (m, n). Scale bars, 50 μm unless indicated otherwise. Statistical significance calculated using one-way ANOVA with Dunnett’s test. NS, not significant. Data represented as mean ± s.d.
