MST4 suppresses EMT and invasion of HCC cells through inactivation of PI3K/AKT/Snail1 signaling axis. (A) Western blot analysis for indicated protein levels in dnMST4-expressing Bel-7402 cells treated with or without LY294002 for 24 hours. (B) Representative images of migratory and invasive properties of dnMST4-expressing Bel-7402 cells treated with or without LY294002 for 24 hours. (C) Quantification of migratory and invasive properties of dnMST4-expressing Bel-7402 cells treated with or without LY294002 for 24 hours. (D) Immunoblot analysis of Snail1 protein levels in dnMST4- and LV-MST4-expressing Bel-7402 cells. (E) Representative immunofluorescence images for Snail1 levels in vector- and dnMST4-expressing Bel-7402 cells and Bel-7404 cells. Scale bar, 20 µm. (F) Immunoblot analysis of the expression of Snail1, E-cadherin and vimentin in vector- and dnMST4-expressing Bel-7402 cells with or without Snail1 knockdown. (G) Phase-contrast micrographs of the cell morphology of vector- and dnMST4-expressing HCC cells with or without Snail1 knockdown. (H) Representative pictures of the migration and invasion in vector- and dnMST4-expressing Bel-7402 cells with or without Snail1 knockdown. (I) Quantification of the migration and invasion in vector- and dnMST4-expressing Bel-7402 cells with or without Snail1 knockdown. (J) Western blot analysis of Snail1 expression in dnMST4-expressing Bel-7402 cells with or without LY294002. (K) Representative immunofluorescence images for Snail1 in dnMST4-expressing Bel-7402 cells and Bel-7404 cells with or without LY294002. Scale bar, 20 µm. Data are mean ± SEM (*P< 0.05, **P <0.01, ***P <0.001).