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Fig. 2 | Molecular Cancer

Fig. 2

From: Epigenetic silencing of miR-144/451a cluster contributes to HCC progression via paracrine HGF/MIF-mediated TAM remodeling

Fig. 2

miR-144/miR-451a modulates the HCC paracrine function to promote macrophage M1-like polarization. a, b Control Hepa1–6 cells or those overexpressing miR-144 or miR-451a were inoculated intrahepatically into C57BL/6 mice. Tumors were then dissected, FACS was performed to analyze cell subsets expressing pan-macrophage and polarized macrophage markers (n = 6). c-f TAMs were sorted for RNA-seq. The differentially expressed genes related with inflammation were compared (c) and analyzed for functional clusters (D, E) (n = 3). The mRNA levels of macrophage polarization markers in sorted TAM subsets from (c) were assayed using qRT-PCR (F, n = 6). g, h The tumor tissues of HCC patients were grouped according to miR-144/miR-451a expression and stained for M2-polarized marker CD206 (g) (1: n = 25; 2: n = 10; 3: n = 10; 4: n = 25). The relationships between miR-144/miR-451a expression and the levels of CD68, CD163 or HLA-DR were analyzed (n = 125) (h). Bars, means ± SEMs; *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001

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