Fig. 4

ATF2 knockdown suppresses tumor growth in vivo. a A representative nude mice showing the morphology of the tumors derived from ATF2 knockdown and control ACHN cells (upper). The tumors were dissected and photographed (lower). b The growth curve of the ATF2 knockdown versus the control ACHN tumors. c The average weight of ATF2 knockdown versus the control ACHN tumors. d Ki-67 staining of ATF2 knockdown versus the control ACHN tumors. Scale bar = 50 μm. e TUNEL assay analysis of the cell apoptosis in ATF2 knockdown versus the control ACHN tumors (left). Apoptosis cells numbers per view were shown (right). Scale bar = 50 μm. f qRT-PCR analysis of ATF2, Cyclin B1 and Cyclin D1 in ATF2 knockdown versus the control ACHN tumors. g Left: representative images of HE staining of metastatic nodules in the lungs of nude mice. The metastatic nodules are indicated by yellow arrows. Scale bar = 100 μm. Right: the numbers of nude mice with metastatic nodules in the lungs were calculated and compared (p = 0.016). Results are presented as means ± SEM for each group (n = 6). *p < 0.05, **p <0.01, and ***p < 0.001