Figure 3.

KPNA2 silencing inhibited HCC cell proliferation. (A) siRNA was used to knockdown KPNA2 in Huh7 cells, and the mRNA expression levels of KPNA2, CCNB2 and CDK1 were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. KPNA2 knockdown was confirmed; the mRNA expression levels of CCNB2 and CDK1 were also reduced. (B) Cell proliferation was determined using an MTT assay following KPNA2 knockdown in Huh7 cells. The knockdown of KPNA2 reduced cell proliferation. (C) Flow cytometry was applied to determine the cell cycle distribution in Huh7 cells following KPNA2 interference. (D) Quantification of (C). Knockdown of KPNA2 prompted HCC cell arrest in the G₂/M phase. *P<0.05. KPNA2, karyopherin subunit-α 2; si, small interfering; CNNB2, cyclin B2; CDK1, cyclin-dependent kinase 1; CTR, control; PI, propidium iodide.