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Fig. 4 | Journal of Translational Medicine

Fig. 4

From: Low mitochondrial DNA copy number induces chemotherapy resistance via epithelial-mesenchymal transition by DNA methylation in esophageal squamous cancer cells

Fig. 4

Mitochondrial membrane potential and the epithelial–mesenchymal transition. A The association between carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), which artificially reduces mitochondrial membrane potential, and ESCC cells was investigated by FACS. Of the concentrations of CCCP administered (20 µM, 30 µM and 40 µM), 40 µM CCCP induced the greatest decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. B TE11 cells exposed to 40 µM CCCP showed spindle cell transformation, and the severity of transformation depended on the exposure time (Days 1–5). Scale bars, 20 µM. C Compared with control cells, ESCC cells cultured with CCCP showed significantly decreased relative mRNA expression of E-cadherin at Day 5, while the relative mRNA expression level of N-cadherin, vimentin, and Zeb-1 in ESCC cells was significantly increased. D Compared with that in control cells (Day 0), the protein expression level of E-cadherin at Day 5 after CCCP exposure was decreased. On the other hand, the protein expression levels of N-cadherin, vimentin, and Zeb-1 at day 5 after CCCP exposure were increased. *The densitometry of relative protein expression. E The number of invasive cells were significantly higher in TE11 which administrated 40 µM CCCP for 5 days than in TE11 without CCCP (CCCP 0 µM)

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