Fig. 2. Overexpression of N1DARP suppresses proliferation and stem cell properties of pancreatic cancer cells.

a, b Cell proliferation capacity was evaluated by (a) CCK8 assay and (b) EdU assay using wild-type or LINC00261 knocked-out Capan1 transfected with N1DARPwt or N1DARPmut plasmid, and Panc1 with N1DARP or LINC00261 knockout. c, d Stem cell properties were assessed by sphere formation assay (c) and western blotting assay (d) for detecting stemness biomarkers using the same grouped Capan1 and Panc1 cells mentioned above. e IC₅₀ assay used to detect chemosensitivity to GEM in wild-type or LINC00261 knocked-out Capan1 transfected with N1DARPwt or N1DARPmut plasmid and in Panc1 cells with N1DARP or LINC00261 knockout. f, g Tumor volume and weight of a subcutaneously injected xenograft model using wild-type or LINC00261 knocked-out Capan1 transfected with N1DARPwt or N1DARPmut plasmid, and Panc1 with N1DARP or LINC00261 knockout. h, i Tumor volume and apoptosis rate detected by flow cytometry of a subcutaneously injected xenograft model treated with GEM (40 mg/kg, biweekly) using Capan1 overexpressing N1DARP or Panc1 with N1DARP knockout. Data are presented as mean ± SD of three independent experiments. ns not significant; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 by Student’s t-test (a–c, f–g for tumor weight, and h, i for apoptosis rate); ns not significant; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 by one-way ANOVA (e, f–i for tumor volume). Scale bars, 20 μm (b).