Figure 7.

PP2Ac knockdown abrogates HBx-induced tumorigenesis of HCC cells. (A) CCK-8 assay was done to measure the proliferation of HepG2 cells transfected with indicated constructs. (B) Colony formation assay demonstrated that co-transfection with PP2Ac shRNA significantly impaired the formation of colonies from ct-HBx3’-40-transfected HepG2 cells, compared to transfection of ct-HBx3’-40 alone. (C and D) Nude mice (n = 3 for each condition) were subcutaneously injected with HepG2 cells transfected with indicated constructs. Measurement of xenograft tumor volume was performed every 5 days and tumor volume-time curves were plotted (C). At the end of the experiment (30 days after cell injection), tumor xenografts were removed, weighted, and photographed (D). *P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01 vs. empty vector group; ^##P < 0.01 vs. transfection of ct-HBx3’-40 alone.