Fig. 5

Linc00261 reverses TGF-β1 induced EMT and inhibits TGF-β1-stimulated target genes’ expression. A Transwell migration and invasion assays in linc00261 overexpression or control cells with or without TGF-β1 (5 ng/ml) treatment in SMMC-7721 cells. Western blotting analysis of EMT-related protein in vector or linc00261 overexpression SMMC-7721 cells with or without TGF-β1 treatment at 5 ng/ml (B); The histogram represents the gray values evaluation of these western blotting bands using image J software (C). D Linc00261 overexpression inhibits, while linc00261 down-regulation upregulates EMT-TFs (Slug, Snail and ZEB1) and CSC-TFs (Nanog, OCT4 and SOX2) at the RNA levels determined by qRT-PCR. E Linc00261 overexpression inhibits the EMT-TFs (Slug, Snail and ZEB1) and CSC-TFs (Nanog, OCT4 and SOX2) at RNA levels in vivo. F SB431542 inhibits the up-regulation of EMT-TFs (Slug, Snail and ZEB1) and CSC-TFs (Nanog, OCT4 and SOX2) induced by linc00261 knockdown in Huh7 and MHCC-LM3 cells.*P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01; *** P < 0.001