Fig. 7.

Blockade of miRNA-144 or miRNA-126 reduces adipocyte-induced tumour growth in vivo. a miRNA-144-knockdown MDA-MB-231 cells or miRNA-126-knockdown MDA-MB-231 cells were co-injected with mature 3T3-L1 cells into the mammary and axilla fat pads of mice. As a control, normal MDA-MB-231 cells mixed with or without adipocytes in Matrigel were inoculated into the mammary and axilla fat pads of ten BALB/c nude mice (9 mice in each group). Tumour size was measured every 4 days starting at day 32. b Representative tumour images from nine mice. c Macrometastatic lesions were observed in the liver or lungs (arrows). d Proliferating cells in tumours were detected by IHC staining using an anti-Ki67 antibody, and HE staining was performed for the histologic analysis of tumours, lungs and liver. Scale bar, 100 μm. Data are presented as the mean ± S.D. of at least three independent experiments. * P < 0.05 versus control values