Figure 7.
IL-8-activated TAMs promoted tumor invasion by accelerating EMT of HCC cells in a non-membrane-bound manner. a. The wound-closure rate at 24 h or 48 h of the Hep3B+TAM group was higher than that of the Hep3B+THP-1 or Hep3B group. b. The effect of TAMs on the migration of HepG2 cells was in correspondence with the result of Hep3B cells. c. The numbers of invasive Hep3B cells in the Hep3B+TAM group increased compared to the other groups. d. The effect of TAMs on the invasion function of HepG2 cells was in correspondence with that of Hep3B cells. E. The mRNA and protein expression levels of N-cadherin and β-catenin increased, and those of E-cadherin decreased in the Hep3B+TAM group compared to the other groups. The protein levels of the transcription factors Snail and Slug increased in the Hep3B+TAM group. f. The mRNA and protein expression levels of N-cadherin, β-catenin, Snail, and Slug increased, whereas that of E-cadherin decreased in the HepG2+TAM group compared to the other groups. g. Hep3Bwt cells were co-cultured with THP-1 cells in Transwell plates to avoid direct cell-cell contact. Similar tendency of the EMT markers was detected as co-culture system. h. Same result was obtained in HepG2wt cells, which IL-8-activated TAMs promoted tumor invasion by accelerating EMT of HCC cells in non-membrane-bound manner.