Fig. 3

TOP2A knockdown impairs cell growth and induces cellular senescence in HCC. (A) Representative images of colony formation and SA-β-gal staining of cells stably expressing pLKO.1-control and pLKO.1-shTOP2As. (B) mRNA levels of TOP2A and senescence markers p15, p16, and p21 in BEL7404 and SMMC7721 cells. (C) Representative images of tumors in nude mice subcutaneously inoculated with BEL7404 cells stably expressing pLKO.1-shTOP2As and pLKO.1-control (seven mice in each group). (D and E) The tumor volume (D) and weight (E) in nude mice subcutaneously inoculated with BEL7404 cells stably expressing pLKO.1-shTOP2As and pLKO.1-control. (F) Representative images of H&E, Ki67, and SA-β-gal staining of tumor tissues. (G) The cell rate of Ki67-positive cells in tumors. (H) The cell rate of SA-β-gal-positive cells in tumors. (I) mRNA levels of TOP2A and senescence markers p15, p16, and p21 in tumors in nude mice subcutaneously inoculated with BEL7404 cells. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001