FIGURE 4.

SNAI2 knockdown reduces tumorigenicity and resistance to gemcitabine in spheroids from human pancreatic cancer. A‐D, Control Vector and shSNAI2 from Sph were subcutaneously transplanted into NOD‐SCID mice (10⁵ cells, 10⁴ cells per site), respectively. shRNA was used shSNAI2_1. n = 6. A, Macroscopic images of formed tumor. B, Number of tumor‐forming mice per total transplanted mice at 8 wk after transplantation. C, H&E staining of formed tumors. Scale bars: 100 µm. D, Tumor growth curves. Mean + SE. **P < .01. E, Flow cytometric analysis of control vector and shSNAI2 from spheroids. shRNA was used shSNAI2_1. Two parameter plots: CD44‐FITC (X axis), CD24‐PE (Y axis), Numbers represent the CD44‐positive/CD24‐positive cell ratio. Histogram: EpCAM‐PECy7 (X axis), cell count (Y axis). CD44 and CD24 double analysis was performed for the blue colored fraction of the EpCAM panel. n = 2, each. Mean + SE. *P < .05. F, The relative viability of control vector versus shSNAI2 from spheroid 96 h after treating cells with gemcitabine. Viability curves at 0, 10, 50, 100 ng/mL gemcitabine. n = 5, each. Mean + SE. **P < .01