Fig. 6

RUFY3 facilitates HOXD9-mediated cell proliferation and metastasis in GC in vivo. a External whole-body fluorescence images after subcutaneous injection of AGS/Vector, AGS/HOXD9-scr-shRNA and AGS/HOXD9-RUFY3-shRNA were obtained. The mice were sacrificed. b & c RUFY3 knockdown significantly inhibited HOXD9-induced proliferation (Ki-67, ****, P < 0.001, vector vs. HOXD9 and HOXD9 src-shRNA vs HOXD9-RUFY3-shRNA, respectively), and a considerable decrease of tumor vessel density (CD105, ****, P < 0.001, vector vs. HOXD9 and HOXD9 src-shRNA vs. HOXD9-RUFY3-shRNA, respectively) was observed by IHC. d Representative images of metastatic loci in the lungs are shown. e The number of metastatic loci in the lungs were counted. ***, P < 0.01, vector vs. HOXD9; **, P < 0.05, HOXD9 src-shRNA vs. HOXD9-RUFY3-shRNA, respectively. f Metastatic cancer tissues were stained with H&E. g & h MMP2 expression in tumors derived from AGS cells was determined by qRT-PCR and IHC; ****, P < 0.001, vector vs. HOXD9 and HOXD9 src-shRNA vs. HOXD9-RUFY3-shRNA, respectively. Scale bars, 100 μm in b, c, f and h