Fig. 1

Dysregulation of lncRNA TUG1-miR-328-3p-SRSF9 mRNA ceRNA axis was involved in the hepatocarcinogenesis. A Relative expression levels of SRSF9 mRNA, miR-328-3p and lncRNA TUG1 in HCC tissues (n = 77) compared with the corresponding non-cancerous liver tissues (n = 56). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, comparison with the non-cancerous group. B Kandall and Spearman correlation analyses between miR-328-3p and SRSF9 mRNA expression levels, as well as between SRSF9 mRNA and lncRNA TUG1 expression levels in HCC samples. C SRSF9 mRNA expression may be significantly associated with the overall survival rate and disease-free survival rate of HCC patients. D The schematic model of the lncRNA TUG1-miR-328-3p-SRSF9 mRNA axis involved into the progression of HCC. E, F, H, I. SRSF9 overexpression reverses the tumor suppressive roles of miR-328-3p in the proliferation and migration activities in HUH7 cells. CCK-8 assays were carried out to determine the cell viability for pre-SRSF9 mRNA+mimics-miR-328-3p transfected HUH7 cells. Wound Healing assays were carried out to determine the cell mobility for pre-SRSF9 mRNA+mimics-miR-328-3p transfected HUH7 cells. G, J, K Apoptosis and cell cycle were determined by flow cytometry for pre-SRSF9 mRNA + mimics-miR-328-3p transfected HUH7 cells. Data were represented as the mean ± sem. From three independent experiments. ^*p < 0.05, ^**p < 0.01, ^***p < 0.001, comparison with the pre-NC + mimics-NC group; ^&p < 0.05, ^&&p < 0.01, ^&&&p < 0.001, comparison with the pre-NC + mimics-miR-328-3p group. ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01, ^###p < 0.001, comparison with the pre-NC + pre-SRSF9 group. L, M, O, P LncRNA TUG1 competitively disturbs the regulatory effects of miR-328-3p in cell proliferation and migration in HUH7 cells. CCK-8 assays were carried out to determine the cell viability for pre-lncRNA TUG1 + mimics-miR-328-3p transfected HUH7 cells. Wound Healing assays were carried out to determine the cell mobility for pre-lncRNA TUG1 + mimics-miR-328-3p transfected HUH7 cells. N, Q, R Apoptosis and cell cycle were determined by flow cytometry for pre-lncRNA TUG1 + mimics-miR-328-3p transfected HUH7 cells. Data were represented as the mean ± sem. From three independent experiments. ^*p < 0.05, ^**p < 0.01, ^***p < 0.001, comparison with the pre-NC + mimics-NC group; ^&p < 0.05, ^&&p < 0.01, ^&&&p < 0.001, comparison with the pre-NC + mimics-miR-328-3p group. ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01, ^###p < 0.001, comparison with the pre-NC + pre-lncRNA TUG1 group