Fig. 5. Inhibition of PELI1 and EGFR suppressed breast cancer.
A–C Quantification of the migration (A) and invasion (B, C) of MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with PELI1-shRNA with or without Gefitinib (2 μM) treatment (N = 3, scale bar, 100 μm). D Western blotting analysis of the indicated proteins with or without PELI1 knockdown and Gefitinib (2 μM) treatment. E–G Effects of PELI1 knockdown and Gefitinib treatment on the tumor incidence of MDA-MB-231 cells in nude mice. The mice were subcutaneously transplanted with MDA-MB-231/Con-shRNA and MDA-MB-231/PELI1-shRNA cells (5 × 106/mouse) and were treated with or without Gefitinib (50 mg/kg) orally every other day for 2 months. Representative images of tumors (E) and tumor weight (F) are represented (N = 6 per group). The tumors were made into paraffin sections and the Ki67-positive cells (G, scale bar, 50 μm) were quantified. H Effects of PELI1 knockdown and Gefitinib treatment on the lung-metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells. NYG mice were injected with MDA-MB-231/Con-shRNA and MDA-MB-231/PELI1-shRNA cells (2 × 105/mouse) via tail vein, and were treated with or without Gefitinib (50 mg/kg) orally every other day for 1 month. The whole indicated lung tissues were stained with Bouin fluid and made into HE stained sections (scale bar, 50 μm). I Quantitative analysis of the metastatic lung nodules in H (N = 6 per group). J The GFP fluorescence intensity of lung tissues from H are shown. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. All P values were determined by unpaired two-tailed Student’s t test.