Fig. 5

Knockdown of circSEPT9 induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy of TNBC cells. a Cell cycle analysis was performed using flow cytometry in TNBC cells transfected with si-circSEPT9. b Western blot was conducted to determine the expression of the cell cycle-related proteins in TNBC cells after transfection with si-circSEPT9. c Apoptosis rate was tested using flow cytometry after down-regulation of circSEPT9. d Apoptotic cells were observed with TUNEL method (magnification, × 100, scale bar, 100 μm). e Morphological features of apoptosis were revealed with Hoechst 33342 staining (magnification, × 200, scale bar, 20 μm). f Apoptosis-related protein levels were monitored by western blot. g The endogenous LC-3B puncta formation was assessed by IF analysis and the total number of LC3B puncta per cell was counted (magnification, × 400, Scale bar, 20 μm). h The levels of autophagy-related proteins were detected by western blot. The data are presented as the mean ± SD, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001