Figure 2.

Forced overexpression of SKP2 confers resistance to HCC cells against growth restraint by the C75 FASN inhibitor. The Huh7 cell line was subjected to SKP2 overexpression by stable transfection using an HA-tagged SKP2 plasmid (SKP2). Huh7 cells were also transfected with the empty vector (vector) as the control. Cells transfected with either SKP2 or vector were grown untreated or treated with the FASN inhibitor C75 (25 µM) for 48 h. (A) Increased levels of SKP2 protein following transfection of the SKP2 plasmid in Huh7 cells, as detected by Western blot analysis. β-Actin was used as a loading control. Transfection of SKP2 increases proliferation (B) and diminishes apoptosis (C) in the same cells. C75 administration significantly reduces proliferation and augments apoptosis in vector-transfected but not SKP2-transfected cells. (D–F) Equivalent results were obtained in the SNU449 cell line. Tukey–Kramer’s test: p < 0.0001; a, versus empty vector (vector); b, versus vector-transfected and C75-treated cells (Vector + C75); c, versus SKP2 overexpression. Experiments were conducted three times in triplicate.