Fig. 7. BMP4 is a mediator of CBX8-induced EMT, migration, invasion, stemness, and in vivo metastasis capacity via Smads and MAPKs in HCC cells.

a Expression of (p-) Smad1/5/8 were measured by western blotting. b Expression of (p-) ERK and (p-) JNK were measured by western blotting. c–e Expression of BMP4, (p-) ERK, (p-) JNK, (p-) Smad1/5/8, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, Slug, and Snail were measured by western blotting. f BMP4 expression was positively correlated with CBX8 expression in HCC tissues. g Schematic illustration of the proposed function of CBX8 in HCC metastasis and stemness. CBX8 Chromobox homolog 8, BMP4 bone morphogenetic protein 4, EMT epithelial–mesenchymal transition, MAPK mitogen-activated protein kinase, p- phosphorylated, ERK extracellular signal-regulated kinase, JNK c-JUN N-terminal kinase, HCC hepatocellular carcinoma