Figure 5. CLTC knockdown restored tamoxifen sensitivity, and low CLTC levels are correlated with better survival in breast cancer patients.

(a) Knockdown efficiency of CLTC siRNA. OHTR cells were transfected with siCLTC or negative control for 48 h. CLTC mRNA levels were determined by qPCR and normalized to GAPDH levels. Data are presented as mean ± SE, in triplicate; **P < 0.01. (b) Knockdown of CLTC significantly reduced OHTR cell growth in the presence of OHT. Cells were transfected with siCLTC or negative control, and then cell viability was analyzed by MTS cell proliferation assay at 1 and 4 days after transfection. Data are presented as mean ± SE, in triplicate; **P < 0.01. (c) Representative immunohistochemical staining of breast cancer tissues with anti-CLTC antibody. CLTC immunoreactivity was predominantly detected in the cytoplasm of breast carcinoma cells compared with the epithelial cells of non-neoplastic glands. *; non-neoplastic mammary epithelium. Scale bar, 100 μm. (d) Kaplan–Meier curves of relapse-free survival times of total breast cancers (n = 2785), and patients with following endocrine therapy only using tamoxifen (n = 514), stratified by CLTC expression levels. This data were obtained from the Kaplan–Meier Plotter²⁵.