ENKUR inhibits HCC proliferation, metastasis, and sorafenib resistance. (a) Colony formation assays; (b, c) Edu (scale bar: 100 µm) and MTT analyses; (d, e) invasion, migration (scale bar: 10 µm) and wound healing assays (scale bar: 10 µm) of ENKUR-overexpressing 7721 and LM3 cells and the corresponding control cells. (f) Dose-dependent and time-dependent growth curves of 7721 and LM3 cells treated with sorafenib. (g) A mouse subcutaneous tumor model used to explore the effect of ENKUR on proliferation (n=5, general linear model). Tumor paraffin sections were stained with immunohistochemistry (scale bars: 50 µm) to determine Ki67 and PCNA expression levels (n=5). (h, i) Mouse in situ tumor model used to explore the effect of ENKUR on proliferation and metastasis (n=5). Student's t-test was used to compare the treatment groups vs. the control group (n=3 independent experiments). Data were presented as mean ± SD. H&E scale bar: 50 µm.