Figure 3.

S100A4 deficiency attenuates liver fibrosis and DEN/CCl₄-induced carcinogenesis. (a) Schematic illustration of the DEN/CCl₄-induced HCC model. Fifteen-day-old WT littermates and S100A4^−/- mice (n = 8) were treated i.p. with a single injection of 50 μg/g DEN and 1 month later were treated with CCl₄ twice weekly for 2 months. All mice were euthanized 8 months after DEN treatment for further analysis. (b) Representative photographs of the livers from the animals in each group at 8 months of age. (c-e) The tumor number, maximal tumor size and weight of liver are shown. *** P < .001. (f) Liver sections of HCC were stained with H&E, S100A4, Sirius red and α-SMA. Scale bar, 100 μm. * P < .05, ** P < .01.