Association of DEC1 deficiency with inhibition of colonic tumorous cell proliferation and enhancement of apoptotic changes in AOM/DSS-induced CRC mice. (A) H&E staining of colon sections in the two types (DEC1+/+, DEC1−/−) CRC mice. Scale bar = 200 μm. (B) Quantification of hyperplasia in the two types (DEC1+/+, DEC1−/−) CRC mice (two-way ANOVA, gene: F (1, 28) = 150.0, p<0.0001, model: F (1, 28)=4.831, p=0.0364, interaction: F (1, 28)=4.831, p=0.0364). (C–F) Cyclin D1 (two-way ANOVA, gene: F (1, 28)=215.1, p<0.0001, model: F (1, 28)=31.77, p<0.0001, interaction: F (1, 28)=31.60, p<0.0001), CDK4 (two-way ANOVA, gene: F (1, 28)=249.5, p<0.0001, model: F (1, 28)=32.70, p<0.0001, interaction: F (1, 28)=30.74, p<0.0001) and survivin (two-way ANOVA, gene: F (1, 28)=5.896, p<0.0001, model: F (1, 28)=82.11, p<0.0001, interaction: F (1, 28)=5.340, p<0.0001,) protein levels by Western blotting. (G–J) Ki67 (two-way ANOVA, gene: F (1, 28)=9.258, p<0.0001, model: F (1, 28)=70.36, p<0.0001, interaction: F (1, 28)=9.584, p<0.0001), PCNA (two-way ANOVA, gene: F (1, 28)=363.3, p<0.0001, model: F (1, 28)=33.09, p<0.0001, interaction: F (1, 28)=35.42, p<0.0001), and Bax/Bcl2 (two-way ANOVA, gene: F (1, 28)=5.885, p=0.0220, model: F (1, 28)=3.323, p=0.0790, interaction: F (1, 28)=8.267, p=0.0076) protein levels in the two types (DEC1+/+, DEC1−/−) CRC mice. (K) BrdU and Ki67 in the two types (DEC1+/+, DEC1−/−) CRC mice, scale bar=40μm. (L) TUNEL assay in the two types (DEC1+/+, DEC1−/−) CRC mice, scale bar=40 μm. N=8 in each group in this figure, the data are expressed as mean ± SD. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001 vs. DEC1+/+ CRC mice, # p < 0.05, ### p < 0.001 vs. the corresponding solvent mice, ns p > 0.05.