Fig. 6.

YAP1 plays an essential role in cell stemness driven by LPS/TLR4 signaling. a Western blot analysis of YAP1 and CTGF expression in AML12 cells cultured in basic medium containing LPS for the indicated amounts of time. b IF staining of YAP1 and CTGF in AML12 cells after the administration of LPS for 24 h. c Western blot assay of YAP1 and CTGF in AML12 cells in the different groups. Control: AML12 cells cultured in basic medium; LPS (−): AML12 cells cultured in reprogramming medium without LPS; LPS (+): AML12 cells cultured in reprogramming medium containing LPS. d Western blot assay of YAP1 and CTGF in AML12 cells cultured in basic medium with or without LPS for 24 h after transfection with siRNA NC or siTLR4. e After transfection with the pDKD-shNC or PDKD-shYAP1 virus for 48 h, AML12 cells were cultured in basic medium with or without LPS for 24 h and then lysed to analyze the protein expression of YAP1, CTGF, Sox2, cMyc, and Klf4. f Left: Representative images of the colony formation of AML12 cells transfected with the pDKD-shNC or pDKD-shYAP1 virus after culture with or without LPS for 12 days; right: quantification of the colony numbers. g After transfection with the pDKD-shNC or pDKD-shYAP1 virus for 48 h, AML12 cells were cultured with or without LPS for 7 days to evaluate sphere formation. Left: Representative images of sphere formation; right: quantification of the colony diameters. h Left: IHC staining of YAP1 in the right liver lobes WT and TLR4^-/- mice from the sham and PVL groups. Bottom: Quantification of the YAP1-positive cell numbers. i IF staining of YAP1 and Sox2 in the right liver lobes of WT mice from the PVL group. PVL, ligation of the left portal vein branch. Scale bars, 50 μm. h: hours; d: days. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001