(A) The level of bFGF secreted by MHCC97L-HOXB7 pCDNA3 cells was higher than that in the control group. The proliferation of HOXB7 pCDNA3 cells significantly increased than the control group at 48 hours. SU5402 inhibited the proliferation especially at 40 μM. The cell proliferation was significantly inhibited using 40 μM SU5402 for 48 hours and 72 hours in HOXB7 pCDNA3 cells. (B) The decreased bFGF level was detected in supernatant of HCCLM3-pGCSIL-GFP-HOXB7 shRNA cells, the proliferation of HOXB7 shRNA cells decreased significantly than the control at 48 hours and bFGF increased the proliferation especially at 25 ng/ml, the cell proliferation ability was significantly enhanced after adding 25 ng/ml bFGF to HOXB7 shRNA cells for 48 and 72 hours. (C)
In vitro migration and invasion assays showed a significant decrease in the HCCLM3 HOXB7 shRNA group compared with the control group at 48 and 72 hours, respectively, and was partially reversed by adding 25 ng/ml bFGF to the upper chamber, not by 5mM Tris (bFGF supplementation). (*, P<0.05; **, P<0.01; ***, P<0.001).