Fig. 5

Knockdown of SMC3 inhibits the pro-proliferative effect of RIT1 in HCC cells. A Western blot analysis of RIT1 and SMC3 protein expression after silencing SMC3 in RIT1-overexpressing Huh7 and Hep3B cells. B CCK8 assay was performed to examine proliferation after silencing SMC3 in RIT1-overexpressing Huh7 and Hep3B cells. C Representative images of colony formation assays for RIT1-overexpressing Huh7 and Hep3B cells with SMC3 knockdown (left panel). Quantitation histogram showing colony numbers (right). D Images of xenograft tumors of RIT1-overexpressing Huh7 cells or control cells with SMC3 knockdown. E Quantification of tumor weight (g) (n = 7 per group). Data are presented as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001. The P values were calculated by unpaired Student’s t-test for (B, C, E)