Figure 6.

Overexpression of Cx32 reverses the EMT phenotype and enhances chemosensitivity to OXA in OR HCC cells. (A) Cell morphological changes of Huh7/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA cells transfected with pEX-2/hCx32. (B) Increased expression of E-cadherin and decreased Vimentin and Snail levels were detected in Huh7/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA cells following Cx32 overexpression, as shown by Western blot. (C) Upregulation of Cx32 suppressed cell invasion in OR HCC cells Huh7/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA, as assessed by the transwell invasion assay. (D) Huh7/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA showed increased chemosensitivity to OXA after Cx32 overexpression by gene transfection, as determined by the MTT assay. Huh7/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA cells were cultured in cell growth medium containing 4 μg/mL and 8 μg/mL OXA. **P<0.01 vs NC (C), and *P<0.05 vs either OXA treatment or OXA treatment in OR cells transfected with control plasmid (D).

Abbreviations: Cx, connexin; EMT, epithelial–mesenchymal transition; NC, negative control; OE, overexpression; OR, OXA-resistant; OXA, oxaliplatin.