Fig. 4

Abnormal lipolysis regulated by NEAT1-ATGL axis promotes HCC cell growth in vitro. a Growth curves for the indicated HCC cells were evaluated by the Trypan blue dye exclusion method. b CCK-8 assays showed that down-regulation of NEAT1 expression inhibited the growth of HCCLM3 and SK-Hep-1 cells and this effect was rescued by up- regulation of ATGL. c Representative images of the cloning formation assay showed that down-regulation of NEAT1 expression inhibited the growth of HCCLM3 and SK-Hep-1 cells and this effect was rescued by up-regulation of ATGL (upper panels). Number of colonies from three experiments were measured, and the results are presented as a bar graph (lower panels). d Growth curves for the indicated HCC cells were evaluated by the Trypan blue dye exclusion method. e CCK-8 assay showed that down-regulation of NEAT1 expression inhibited the growth of HCCLM3 and SK-Hep-1 cells and this effect was completely rescued by treatment with 16 μM DAG+FFA. f Representative images of the cloning formation assay showed that down-regulation of NEAT1 expression inhibited the growth of HCCLM3 and SK-Hep-1 cells and this effect was completely rescued by treatment with 16 μM DAG+FFA (upper panels). Number of colonies from three experiments were measured, and the results are presented as a bar graph(lower panels). Two-way ANOVA with the Bonferroni’s correction was used in different timepoints statistical analysis. Data are expressed as mean ± SD of three independent experiments. Statistical significance was concluded at **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001