Fig. 3

Micro-CT-scan rendering of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in mutant versus xenograft mouse model and corresponding gene expression levels. a Large hypodense, hypovascularized HCC in orthotopic Hep 55.1c xenograft model in C57BL/6 J mouse (white arrowheads). b Large, single isodense tumor in Trim24 ^L2/L2Alb-Cre mouse with evident neovascularization network (red arrowheads). c Gene expression of key markers of lipid uptake capacity (LDLR) and blood network development (VEGF) in HCCs compared to corresponding non-tumor liver expression (fold expression level +/− standard deviation). In mutant Trim24 ^L2/L2Alb-Cre mice’ HCCs (n = 5) LDLR expression and VEGF and were not significantly different from non-tumor liver (p = 0.071 and respectively p = 0.56). In orthotopic Hep 55.1c xenografted HCCs (n = 3), LDLR expression was significantly lower than non-tumor liver (* p = 0.0001), as well as VEGF expression (* p = 0.015)