Fig. 2

Circ0003998 promoted the EMT of HCC in vitro and in vivo. a-h Transwell assay (a-d) and wound healing assay (e-h) were used to detect the migration and invasion capacities of HCC cells after over expression or silencing circ0003998. Scale bar, 200 μm. i-j Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was performed to assess cell growth. k GFP-signal intensities showed the metastatic rate of lung metastatic mice model after the tail vein injection for 8 weeks. l GFP-signal intensities showed the metastatic rate in the liver metastatic model after spleen injection for 4 weeks and 8 weeks. m The GFP-signal intensities were calculated in the lung metastatic mice model and liver metastatic mice model. n Representative images of H&E staining showed the metastatic lesions in both the lung metastatic mice model and liver metastatic model after the HCC cells injection for 8 weeks. o Representative images of metastatic foci were indicated by red arrows in the liver metastatic model after the HCC cells injection in spleen for 8 weeks. p The number of metastatic foci in the liver metastatic model was counted after spleen injection for 8 weeks. All data are presented as means ± SD of three independent experiments; Student’s t-test was used. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001