Figure 2.

HCC pulmonary metastasis was increased under ID in vivo

(A–C) C57BL/6 mice were fed with either IA or ID diet at day −7. Mouse HCC H22 cells were orthotopically or intravenously administrated at day 0. All mice were sacrificed at day 50. n = 3 (A) Protocol for in vivo imaging. (B) Growth of tumor cells over time in the lung of mice. Representative figures were taken at day 50. (C) Ferritin expression in the liver and lung of the orthotopically injected mice. (D–F) WT (+/+) and TFRC heterozygous knockout (–/+) C57BL/6 mice were fed with IA diet at day −7. Mouse HCC H22 cells were orthotopically administrated at day 0. All mice were sacrificed at day 50. n = 6 (D) TFRC expression in the liver. (E) Growth of tumor cells over time in the lung of mice. Representative figures were taken at day 50. (F) Ferritin expression in the liver and lung. (G) C57BL/6 mice were fed with IA diet at day −7. TFRC-knockdown (shTFRC) mouse HCC H22 cells or their control counterparts (shNC) were orthotopically or intravenously administrated at day 0. Representative figures were taken at day 50. n = 3. The quantification data of Figure 2G are presented in Figure S3D. Data were presented as mean ± SEM. ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.01 versus IA Diet or versus TFRC^+/+. IA, iron-adequate; ID, iron-deficient.