Research Paper Volume 10, Issue 1 pp 115—130

Figure 3. HOXC6 expression level correlated with the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. (A) Serial sections of human HCC tissue were subjected to IHC staining with antibodies against HOXC6, E-cadherin, Vimentin and MMP-9. In patient #1, high expression of HOXC6 in HCC tissues was accompanied by the absence of E-cadherin and elevated Vimentin, MMP-9. In patient #2, low expression of HOXC6 was accompanied by elevated E-cadherin and the absence of Vimentin, MMP-9. The scale bar represents 50 μm. (B) HOXC6 expression was negatively correlated with E-cadherin expression and positively associated with vimentin and MMP-9 expression. (C) Decreased expression of Vimentin, α-SMA and N-cadherin with increased expression of E-cadherin and ZO-1 in HOXC6-silenced cells compared with the control cells. An opposite expression pattern of these genes was observed in HOXC6-transfected cells. (D) The mRNA of E-cadherin was up-regulated, while the vimentin and MMP-9 was down-regulated, when HOXC6 was silenced. And opposite expression was observed in HOXC6-transfected cells.