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. 2025 Jul 28;21(11):4942–4960. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.112133

Figure 6.

Figure 6

Targeting MALAT1 in vivo with ASO-MALAT1 treatment effectively suppresses xenograft tumor progression in HBx-related HCC. A-G BALB/c nude mice were used to construct the subcutaneous xenograft models with HBx-expressing HepG2 cells. The mice were divided into four groups: Ctrl (HepG2-pc3.1-NC), HBx (HepG2-pc3.1-HBx), HBx+ASO-NC, and HBx+ASO-MALAT1 (n = 8 per group). For MALAT1-targeting intervention, mice were treated with ASO-MALAT1(5 nmol per injection, once every 2 days, for a total of 7 injections), while control oligonucleotides (ASO-NC) served as a negative control. A Schematic diagram of the experimental design, where SPSS represents stroke-physiological saline solution. B Representative images showing the subcutaneous tumor xenografts. C Tumor weights of the xenografts were evaluated. D Tumor growth curves of the xenografts were plotted. E Representative images showing FISH assays of the RNA levels of MALAT1 (red) in the xenograft tumors. Nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue). Scale bars: 100 μm. F Levels of HBx, METTL3, METTL14, WTAP, IGF2BP3, E-cadherin, and Vimentin proteins in the xenograft tumors were detected by WB. G Representative images showing the HE staining, HBx, METTL3, METTL14, WTAP, IGF2BP3, Ki67, E-cadherin, and Vimentin immunostaining of the xenograft tumors. Scale bars: 100 μm. H-M An orthotopic liver tumor model was established in nude mice by injecting HepG2.2.15-Luc cells. Mice were then treated with ASO-MALAT1, while ASO-NC were used as a negative control (n = 7 per group). H Representative bioluminescence images of orthotopic liver tumors, with imaging performed on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 post-treatment. I-J Quantification of tumor burden based on total bioluminescence signal intensity (I) and tumor volume (J) over time. K Gross images of excised livers from each group on day 28. Intrahepatic orthotopic tumor nodules are outlined with dashed circles. L-M Quantification of tumor weight (L) and number of intrahepatic tumor nodules (M) is presented in dot plots. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001. n.s., not significant.