Fig. 7From: Circular RNA MAPK4 (circ-MAPK4) inhibits cell apoptosis via MAPK signaling pathway by sponging miR-125a-3p in gliomascirc-MAPK4 promotes the tumorigenesis in vivo. (a) A total of 10 male BALB/c nude mice (n = 5 each group) were injected with either the stable circ-MAPK4 silenced or parent control U138 cells (5 × 106). Nude mice were sacrificed after five weeks and the xenografted tumors were measured and cut. (b) Sizes of xenografted tumors were measured every 7 days. (c) Weights of xenografted tumors were summarized as a bar graph. (d) TUNEL assays were performed to detect the cellular apoptosis of xenografted tumors. Three xenografted tumors of each group were randomly choosed and three discontinuous sections were selected to perform the TUNEL assays. After randomly selecting three fields of view from each section, the FITC-positive cells were counted and stable circ-MAPK4 silenced group was compared to control group. (e) Survival curve of shRNA negative control (blue line) and circ-MAPK4 silenced U87 injected mice (red line; Kaplan-Meier plots). Survival was significantly increased in circ-MAPK4 silenced group (P < 0.001). (f) In vivo tumorigenicity was monitored. Downregulation of circ-MAPK4 significantly inhibited the formation of brain tumors. (g) GBM areas (μm2) of each tumor were measured, and experimental group was significantly lower than control group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001Back to article page