Fig. 1.

FSTL5 inhibits HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion (a) qRT-PCR reveals significantly decreased FSTL5 expression in HCC tissues (n = 28). (b) IHC assay indicates lower FSTL5 levels in HCC tissues (bar = 50 μm). (c) qRT-PCR and (d) Western blot analyses indicates lower FSTL5 expression in the HCC cell lines Huh-7, MHCC97-H, Hep3B, and SMMC-7721. (e) WB and qRT-PCR verifies FSTL5 overexpression in cells transfected with FSTL5 OE. (f) Cell viability, (g) clone formation, and (h) migration and invasion inhibited by FSTL5 overexpression (bar = 100 μm). Data represents three separate experiments and are expressed as mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, compared with the control group. “NC OE” represents the blank control of “FSTL5 OE.”