Fig. 3

IGF2BP2 promotes the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of HNSCC. A GSEA results showing functional enrichment of IGF2BP2 expression in Hallmark gene sets in the TCGA-HNSCC dataset. B GSEA results show functional enrichment of IGF2BP2 expression in KEGG gene sets in the TCGA-HNSCC dataset. C and D Western blot (C) and qRT-PCR (D) were used to detect the expression of IGF2BP2 after stable silencing in SCC25 and CAL27 cells. E and F The expression of IGF2BP2 after stable overexpression in SCC25 and CAL27 cells was detected by Western blot (E) and qRT-PCR (F). G and H The proliferation of SCC25 and CAL27 cells after stable silencing (G) or overexpression (H) of IGF2BP2 was detected using CCK-8 assay. I and J Clone formation assay was used to detect the clonal proliferation of SCC25 and CAL27 cells after stable silencing (I) or overexpression (J) of IGF2BP2. K The migration and invasion of IGF2BP2 knockdown SCC25 and CAL27 cells were measured. L The migration and invasion of IGF2BP2 overexpression SCC25 and CAL27 cells were measured. M Images of the tongue of BALB/C-Nude mice after inoculation with CAL27-Ctrl, CAL27-shIGF2BP2, and CAL27-IGF2BP2 cells, respectively. N Representative images of tumor tissues after H&E staining. Scale bar, 1 mm. O Comparison of tumor volumes after inoculation with CAL27-Ctrl, CAL27-shIGF2BP2, and CAL27-IGF2BP2 cells, respectively. P Fisher's exact test analysis of CLN metastasis percentage. Q Representative immunohistochemical staining images for Pan-Keratin in the CLN. Scale bar of the upper panel, 500 μm. Scale bar of the lower panel, 200 μm. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. All the data are presented as mean ± SD from three independently performed experiments