FIGURE 7.

EGF does not contribute to EMT or invasion either alone or in combination with TGFβ. Log2 fold change of gene expression after 24 h of treatment as indicated versus controls of (A) the typical EMT marker genes E-cadherin (CDH1), N-cadherin (CDH2), vimentin (VIM), Zeb1, Snail (SNAI1), and laminin γ2 (LAMC2) and (B) genes previously linked to EGF-induced EMT [integrin α6 (ITGA6), PD-L1, and MMP1] was determined by qRT-PCR (mean and SEM of three biological repeats performed in duplicates). GAPDH was used as housekeeping gene for normalization. (C) Representative images and quantification of invasive sprouts formed by A549 cell spheroids (n = 9) embedded in a 3D collagen matrix after treatment with TGFβ, EGF, or both (T + E) as indicated. Data are shown as mean and SEM of nine spheroids derived from three biological repeats. ***P < 0.001, **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05 treatment versus control, one-way ANOVA with Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test.