Fig. 2

AQP5 expression correlation with stemness marker expression. a The mRNA expression levels of aqp5, lgr5, oct4, sox2 and muc1 were evaluated in spheroids and re-adherent cultured AGS cells. b The protein levels of AQP5, LGR5 and SOX2 were measured in spheroid and re-adherent cultured cells. c Multicolor immunofluorescence was used to assess the localization of LGR5 (green) and AQP5 (red) in GCs and GMs. d and e Expression level of AQP5 in CD133-positive (CD133⁺) and CD133-negative (CD133⁻) cells sorted from AGS (d) and HGC-27 (e) cells. (f and g) Statistical analysis of the proportion of LGR5⁺ cells in the AQP5⁺ or AQP5⁻ subgroup sorted from the HGC-27 cell line (f) and GC cells (g). h and i Statistical analysis of the proportions of AQP5⁺ cells in the LGR5⁺ subgroup sorted from HGC-27 (h), AGS (i) and GES-1 cells. (j) Statistical analysis of the proportion of CD133⁺ cells in the LGR5⁺ subgroups of AGS and GES-1 cells