Fig. 3

CAFs-derived exosomes enhance chemoresistance of CRC cells by upregulating miR-93-5p. a Morphology of isolated fibroblasts observed under an optical microscope and positive expression of α-SMA, FAP and FSP1 detected by immunofluorescence staining (× 400). b Ultrastructure of exosomes observed under the TEM (scale bar = 100 nm). c NTA analysis of exosome size. d Expression of exosome surface marker proteins CD63, CD81 TSG101 and negative marker GRP94 measured by Western blot analysis. e The uptake of exosomes by SW480 cells observed under a laser confocal microscope (× 400). f miR-93-5p expression in CAFs-exo and NFs-exo determined by RT-qPCR, normalized to GAPDH. g miR-93-5p expression in SW480 cells co-cultured with CAFs-exo and NFs-exo determined by RT-qPCR, normalized to GAPDH. h Cell viability in SW480 cells detected using CCK-8 assay. i Colony formation ability of SW480 cells detected using colony formation assay. j Cell cycle distribution in SW480 cells detected using flow cytometry. k Apoptosis of SW480 cells detected using flow cytometry. Values obtained from three independent experiments in triplicate are expressed as mean ± SD and analyzed by unpaired t test between two groups, by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test among multiple groups, and by repeated measures ANOVA followed by Bonferroni at different time points. ^*p < 0.05 compared with SW480 cells co-cultured with NFs-exo or CAFs-CM; ^#p < 0.05 compared with non-irradiated cells