Figure 6.

ZEB1-AS1 facilitates the in vivo invasion and proliferation of PANC-1 cells. PANC-1 cells were stably transfected with lentivirus containing si-ZEB1-AS1 sequence. Transfected cells were injected subcutaneously into the right flank of 4-week-old male BALB/c nude mice. (A) After stably transfected, mice were sacrificed after 4 weeks. The fluorescence imaging in vivo demonstrated the subcutaneous tumor, liver, and lung invasion nodules. Arrows indicate the invasion nodules. Scale bars, 1 cm. (B, C) Tumor weight and volume in LV-siNC, LV-si-ZEB1-AS1#1, and LV-si-ZEB1-AS1#2 groups. The tumor volumes were calculated every 3 days (tumor volume = 0.5 × length × width²). (D, E) ZEB1-AS1 and ZEB1 expression was detected in the subcutaneous tumor from LV-si-ZEB1-AS1#1, LV-si-ZEB1-AS1#2, or LV-siNC group. (F) Liver metastasis was measured with the indicated PANC-1 cells. N = 5 mice in each group. (G) The number of visible liver metastases per five sections in each nude mouse. All data were presented as means ± SD of at least three independent experiments. The arrows showed the invasion nodules. Values are significant at ^* p < 0.05 and ^** p < 0.01 as indicated. NS means the difference is not significant.