Figure 4.

Na_Vβ4 expression prevents mesenchymal transition in MCF10A epithelial mammary cells. (a) Expression of genes associated with either epithelial (CDH1) or mesenchymal (CDH2, SNAI1, SNAI2, TWIST, ZEB1, VIM, ACTA2) phenotype by RT-qPCR in MCF10A CTL and MCF10A Crβ4 cells (n = 5–9 independent experiments). Results are expressed relatively to those of the MCF10A CTL cells. “ns” stands for no statistical difference. Statistically different: *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01 (Mann–Whitney rank sum test). (b) Representative western blots showing the protein expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, α-SMA in the MCF10A CTL and MCF10A Crβ4 cells. Immunodetection of HSC70 was used as a loading control (n = 4 independent experiments). (c) Na_Vβ4 protein expression was assessed by western blotting in MCF10A Crβ4 cells transfected with empty pcDNA3.1 or with the SCN4B gene in the pcDNA3.1 vector. Representative of 8 independent experiments. (d) Expression of genes associated with either epithelial (CTNNB1, CDH1) or mesenchymal (CDH2, SNAI1, SNAI2, TWIST, ZEB1, VIM, ACTA2) phenotype by RT-qPCR in the MCF10A Crβ4 cells transfected with empty pcDNA3.1 or with the SCN4B gene in the pcDNA3.1 vector (n = 8 independent experiments). Results are expressed relatively to those of cells transfected with the empty vector. Statistically different: * p < 0.05 (Mann–Whitney rank sum test), otherwise no statistical difference.