Figure 5. CXCL10 enhances BCC migration and invasion.

(A) CM was isolated from cultures of EV cells, DKD cells, MSCs, EV+MSCs, and DKD+MSCs, and ELISA was performed to determine CXCL10 levels (mean ± SEM; n = 3). *P < 0.05 vs. 20% EV+MSCs; ^#P < 0.01 vs. 1% EV+MSCs, ANOVA. (B) ELISA was performed to determine CXCL10 protein levels (mean ± SEM; n = 3) from NTC cells, shCR3-1 cells, MSCs, NTC+MSCs, and shCR3-1+MSCs. *P < 0.01 vs. 20% NTC+MSCs; ^#P < 0.01 vs. 1% NTC+MSCs. (C) Naive MDA-231 BCCs were seeded on the top of a Boyden chamber. The number of cells that migrated through the uncoated filter in response to CM from BCCs, MSCs, or BCCs+MSCs (alone or in the presence of CXCL10 NAb) in the lower chamber was counted. The mean number of cells per field was determined from 5 fields per filter (mean ± SEM; n = 3 experiments). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.001 vs. 1% BCCs; ^##P < 0.001 vs. 1% BCCs+MSCs. Scale bar: 500 μm. (D) Naive MDA-231 BCCs were seeded on top of Matrigel-coated chamber inserts. The number of cells that invaded through the Matrigel in response to CM from BCCs, MSCs, or BCCs+MSCs (with or without CXCL10 NAb) was counted (mean ± SEM; n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.001 vs. 1% BCCs; ^##P < 0.001 vs. 1% BCCs+MSCs, ANOVA. Scale bar: 500 μm. (E and F) BCCs, MSCs, and BCCs+MSCs were analyzed for MMP9 (E) and LOX (F) mRNA levels, which were normalized to BCCs at 20% O₂. **P < 0.001 vs. all other conditions.