Fig. 4.

Expression of γ-catenin is not essential for induction of EMT by LEF-1 expression. (A) Phase contrast microscopy shows that overexpression of LEF-1 in βγ-DKO cells induced morphological changes: from a spheroid to fibroblastic phenotype. Immunofluorescent staining with the anti-HA antibody showed nuclear localization of LEF-1. “Neo” means that only the neomycin resistance gene was introduced and denotes control cells. Scale bar, 50 µm. (B) Immunoblot analysis revealed that expression of LEF-1 downregulated E-cadherin and caused changes in the splicing pattern of p120-catenin reflective of EMT, and upregulated fibronectin, Slug, and ZEB1. Vinculin served as a loading control.