Fig. 6From: Interplay of Helicobacter pylori, fibroblasts, and cancer cells induces fibroblast activation and serpin E1 expression by cancer cells to promote gastric tumorigenesisSerpin E1 overexpression promotes the growth of xenograft tumors via inducing neovascularization in nude mice. A In vivo tumor formation assay shows that the xenograft tumors with Serpin E1-overexpression display faster growth than control tumors (NC). B Growth curve of xenograft tumors by measuring the tumor volume (V). V = 1/2 × length × width2 (mm3). * P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001, and **** P < 0.0001. C Weight of xenograft tumors removed from nude mice. **** P < 0.0001. D HE staining and IHC analysis for Ki 67, Serpin E1, and CD31 in xenograft tumors removed from nude mice. Scale bar = 500 μm. The blue square area is enlarged to the right of each image. Scale bar: 500 μm and 50 μm in the original and enlarged images, respectively. Dot-plot graph shows the quantification of IHC staining for Ki67, Serpin E1, and CD31. IHC scores = intensity score × percentage score. Data are presented as means ± SD from five independent samples. **** P < 0.0001. E Matrigel tube formation assay of HUVECs co-cultured with Serpin E1-overexpressed gastric cancer cells using the Transwell co-culture system. HUVECs were seeded in the lower chamber and gastric cancer cells in the upper chamber of the Transwell insert. GC represents primary gastric cancer cells. Scale bar = 100 μm. F Matrigel tube formation assay of HUVECs treated with human recombinant Serpin E1 (recSerpin E1) at a concentration of 2 ng/ml. Scale bar = 100 μmBack to article page