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. 2015 Sep 15;6(32):33805–33822. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.5668

Figure 3. MUC4 knockdown suppresses the migratory ability along the nerve of PDAC cells in a DRG-tumor cell co-culture assay.

Figure 3

A. Schematic view of the DRG-tumor cell co-culture assay. PDAC cells were suspended in Matrigel and placed next to a DRG suspension. To exclude the possibility of non-specific PC cell migration, an additional Matrigel drop containing no neural cells (blank) was placed next to the other side of the PDAC cell suspension. B. Representative photomicrographs showing the entire process of the DRG-tumor cell interaction. The upper panel shows tumor cells that migrated towards the DRGs and neurites that projected towards the cancercell colonies (original magnification, 40×; scale bar=100 μm). The lower panel shows tumor cells that migrated along the neurites and neurites that projected into the cancer cell colonies (original magnification, 100×; scale bar = 100 μm). Blue # indicates cancer cell colony, yellow * indicates DRG, red rectangle shows tumor cell spikes, and green arrow points to a neurite. C. Representative day 1 (d1) and day 9 (d9) images of co-cultured with Colo-357 Scr and Colo-357 shMUC4 cells in the DRG-tumor cell co-culture assay. Original magnification, 40×; scale bar = 200 μm. D. Representative day 1 (d1) and day 9 (d9) images of co-cultured with Capan-1 Scr and Capan-1 shMUC4 cells in the DRG-tumor cell co-culture assay. Original magnification, 40×; scale bar = 200 μm. E. The accumulated distance travelled by the cancer cells was calculated. F. The travelling velocity of cancer cells was calculated. G. The difference between the travelling velocities of cancer cells with neurite and without neurite contact was analysed. H. The average area covered by the neurites growing out from the DRG was quantified. All data are presented as mean ± SEM. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.