Fig. 9

Knockdown of BBOX1-AS1 suppresses NSCLC tumor growth in vivo. A549 cells with lentivirus vectors carrying sh-BBOX1-AS1 or sh-NC were subcutaneously injected into the left armpit of mice. a Tumor volumes were monitored every 5 days. b Tumor weights were measured at the end of the experiments. c IHC staining were performed to determine the protein expression of proliferation index Ki-67 and PCNA in xenograft tumors. Scale bar, 50 μm. d qRT-PCR assays of BBOX1-AS1, miR-27a-5p and MELK mRNA expression in excised tumors. e Western blot assay of E-cadherin and N-cadherin protein expression in xenograft tumors. f Proposed mechanistic scheme. KLF5-induced BBOX1-AS1 acts as a sponge for miR-27a-5p to up-regulate MELK and activate FAK signaling, thereby promoting NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001