Fig. 4.

CDK5RAP3 suppresses tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo. Xenograft models using the four stable ECC12 cells were created and allowed to grow for 8 weeks. a Representative images of the effect of CDK5RAP3 knockdown or CDK5RAP3 overexpression. b Tumor size was measured every 7 days until mice were sacrificed. c Average tumor weight of the four different groups. d Representative IHC staining of CDK5RAP3, p-AKT (S473), CD31 and VEGFA in xenograft tumor tissues. Mice injected with cells overexpressing CDK5RAP3 exhibited reduced MVD, p-AKT (S473), and VEGFA expression in tumor tissue compared to those injected with control cells. e Mice injected with CDK5RAP3 knockdown cells presented with increased MVD, p-AKT (S473), and VEGFA expression in tumor tissue compared to those injected with control cells. Protein levels of CDK5RAP3, HIF-1α, p-AKT (S473) and VEGFA were measured by western blotting in CDK5RAP3 overexpressing tumor tissues (f) and CDK5RAP3 knockdown tumor tissues (g). Scale bar, 50 µm