Fig. 6.

ANGPT2 promotes growth and angiogenesis of HCC in vivo. a 1 × 10⁷ ANGPT2-overexpressing or ANGPT2-deficient HCC cells (Hep3B-ANGPT2 and MHCC97H-ANGPT2 or Hep3B-ANGPT2crispr and MHCC97H-ANGPT2crispr, respectively) and their matched control cells (Hep3B-CT, MHCC97H-CT; Hep3B-V2, MHCC97H-V2) were resuspended in 100 μL PBS and were injected subcutaneously into the right flank of 5-week-old male BALB/c nude mice; tumorigenesis was then observed for 26 d. b Tumor weight at 26 d after HCC cell implantation. The weight of the ANGPT2-overexpressing group was significantly increased compared with that of the control group, and compared with the control group, the ANGPT2-deficient group had a significant decrease in weight. c Tumor volume was measured once every 3 d. The overexpression of ANGPT2 led to a notable increase in tumor volume, and the knockdown of ANGPT2 resulted in an obvious decrease in tumor volume. d IHC analysis of the vascular density of tumors was performed by labeling CD31. The overexpression of ANGPT2 led to a notable increase in vascular density, and knockdown of ANGPT2 resulted in a significant decrease in vascular density. n = 6 for all Hep3B groups, n = 4 for MHCC97H-CT group, n = 5 for other MHCC97H groups, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, Student’s t-tests