Figure 5.

Constitutive expression of IL-17 in LPCs enhances tumor expansion with an aggressive phenotype in vivo. (A) NOD/SCID mice were inoculated subcutaneously with IL-17/Luc-expressing LPC (LPC p^IL-17 or Luc-expressing LPC with empty vector (LPC p^Empty) as controls. (B) Engrafted-cell expansion was followed once a week for 84 days by in vivo bioluminescence imaging.  (C) Representative average radiance (photons/s per square centimeter per steradian) of tumor bearing mice 56 days after cell engraftment according to the associated color scale. (D) Histological and immuno-histochemical analyses of tumors 84 days after LPC inoculation was performed. (E) Messenger RNA expression of CSC (CD133, KLF4, Thy-1, CK-19, AFP and GPC3), and EMT/fibrotic (Zeb-1, Snail, α-SMA and Col-1) markers were assessed by RT-qPCR in isolated tumors at 84 days. Data represent mean ± SEM, n= 6 mice per group and *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001 for control LPC p^Empty versus p^il-17 engrafted mice.