Fig. 5

Iron deprivation blunts β-catenin-activated tumor formation via impairing mitochondrial function A, B, oxygen consumption rate (OCR) (A, left) and ATP production rate (B, left) in β-catenin^Δ(ex3)/+ MEFs transfected with control or IRP2 shRNA. OCR for basal and maximal respiration (A, right); Glycolytic and mitochondrial ATP production rates (B, right); n = 3. C, D, OCR (C, left) and ATP production rate (D, left) in WT and β-catenin^Δ(ex3)/+ MEFs treated with control or 5 μM DFO for 48 h. OCR for basal and maximal respiration (C, right); Glycolytic and mitochondrial ATP production rates (D, right); n = 3. E, Viability of WT and β-catenin^Δ(ex3)/+ MEFs treated with S-Gboxin or oligomycin A at different concentrations for 48 h; n = 5. F–H, Nude mice subcutaneously inoculated with β-catenin^Δ(ex3)/+ MEFs were treated with PBS (n = 6) or S-Gboxin (10 mg/kg) every other day, n = 7. Tumor growth was calculated as the mean value in tumor volumes (F). Tumor images, tumor weights (G), and body weights (H) were plotted at the end of treatment. Data were shown as mean ± SD and analysis was performed using t test. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001