Fig. 5.

CircMAP3K4-455aa prevents HCC cell apoptosis. A-C RT-qPCR and western blot analyses of circMAP3K4 or circMAP3K4-455aa in the indicated cells. D CCK8 assays for HCC cell proliferation after circMAP3K4 or circMAP3K4-455aa overexpression with indicated controls. E, F Annexin V/PI staining, an apoptosis indicator, in each group. G Annexin V/PI cell staining after circMAP3K4-455aa rescue. H Western blot analyses of apoptosis-associated proteins after circMAP3K4 knockdown. I, J Representative flow cytometry (I) and confocal images (J) stained with JC-1. K Representative confocal images with mPTP. cMAP3K4 or cMAP, circMAP3K4; sh-cMAP-1/2, sh-circMAP3K4-1/2; CCK8, cell counting kit-8; JC-1, 1,1’,3,3’‐tetraethylbenzimi‐dazoylcarbocyanine iodide; mPTP, mitochondrial permeability transition pore. All experiments were repeated three times, data are shown as mean ± SD, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001 in t-test (A, C, E–G) or two-way ANOVA (D)