Fig. 8.

MerTK is indispensable for HCC cell survival under glucose starvation stress or N-glycosylation blocked by TM. (A) MHCC97H and HCCLM3 cells were cultured in the presence or absence of glucose at indicated intervals. MerTK protein (upper panel) and mRNA (lower panel) levels were analyzed by Western blot and qRT-PCR, respectively. (B) Western blot analysis of MerTK expression in LO2 cells under glucose starvation at indicated intervals (left panel). LO2, MHCC97H and HCCLM3 cells were cultured with or without glucose for 24 h, and cell apoptosis was measured by FACS (right panel). Data are presented as mean ± SD of three independent experiments, statistical significance was assessed by One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post-test, **P < 0.01. (C) Western blot analysis of nuclear and cytoplasmic located MerTK in LO2 and MHCC97H cells transfected with WT and various MerTK mutants. (D) Western blot analysis of nuclear and cytoplasmic located MerTK in MHCC97H cells treated with TM (1 μg/mL) and/or UNC-2250 (16 μM) for 24 h. (E and F) Western blot analysis of MerTK and p-MerTK in MHCC97H cells treated with TM (1 μg/mL) and/or UNC-2250 (16 μM) or in presence or absence of glucose (E). Apoptosis rate was analyzed by FACS (F). Data are presented as mean ± SD, statistical significance was assessed by One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post-test, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.