Fig. 3

circCUL2 regulates the phenotypic plasticity of CAFs and promote PDAC progression by IL6. A Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) of affected signatures in fibroblasts (circCUL2 vs. control). B GSEA plots for inflammatory CAF (iCAF) signatures in circCUL2 overexpression NFs from control. C-D qRT–PCR analysis of iCAF markers (IL6, TNF-α and IL1α) and myCAF marker (Acta2 and Axin2) expression in circCUL2 overexpression NFs. E Flow cytometric analysis of PDGFRα and α-SMA expression in circCUL2 overexpression NFs. F-H. Representative cytokine arrays for circCUL2-overexpression NFs and control (n = 3). arrows indicate the cytokines with significant changes, which were further confirmed by qRT–PCR and ELISA. I-L EdU assay (I), colony formation (J), Scratch wound healing assays (K) and transwell assays (L) of PANC-1 cells treated with conditioned medium circCUL2-overexpression NFs or anti-IL6. Scale bar, 100 μm. M western blot analysis of STAT3 and p-STAT3 in PANC-1 cells. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. ^**p < 0.01 and ^***p < 0.001 (two-tailed Student t-tests)