FIGURE 1.

GSTZ1 loss accelerates hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. (A) Quantitative reverse transcription‐PCR (qRT‐PCR) analysis of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐related genes SNAI1, VIM, CDH2, FN1, VTN, CRB3, and OCLN in Huh7 or SK‐Hep1 cells infected with AdGSTZ1 or AdGFP, or GSTZ1‐KO SNU449 cells (n = 3). (B) Immunoblotting analysis of EMT‐related proteins. (C) Scheme for tail‐vein injection of GSTZ1‐OE Huh7 cells or GSTZ1‐KO SNU449 cells into randomized BALB/c nude mice. (D and E) Hematoxylin‐and‐eosin (H&E) staining of occult metastases in mouse lung tissue sections. Scale bar: 10 μm. (F and G) Number of lung metastases (n = 6 per group). (H and L) Scheme for diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and CCl₄ treatment to induce HCC mouse model in C57BL/6J wild‐type (WT) and Gstz1 ^−/− mice (H). PB, phenobarbital. H&E staining of mouse liver tissue (I). NT, non‐tumour; T, tumour. Representative images (J and K) and quantification (L) of lung metastasis. Scale bar: 50 μm. Data are mean ± SD. p‐Values were derived from an unpaired, two‐tailed Student's t‐test in (A); Mann–Whitney U test in (F, G and L) (*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001).