Fig. 4
From: PCSK9 promotes tumor growth by inhibiting tumor cell apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma
PCSK9 promoted HCC growth in vivo. We constructed orthotopic human HCC xenograft mouse models with HCC cell lines with overexpression or downregulation of PCSK9. a Comparison of tumor volume (0.29 ± 0.26 vs. 1.13 ± 0.43 cm3, n = 6, p = 0.001) and tumor mass (0.61 ± 0.35 vs. 1.59 ± 0.25 g, n = 6, p < 0.001) of the HCCLM3-Vector and HCCLM3-PCSK9 groups. b Comparison of tumor volume (0.34 ± 0.13 vs. 0.18 ± 0.12 cm3, n = 6, p = 0.045) and tumor mass (0.61 ± 0.17 vs. 0.33 ± 0.15 g, n = 6, p = 0.013) of the HepG2-shVector and HepG2-shPCSK9 groups. c TUNEL fluorescence of liver cancer from BALB/c nude mice orthotopically implanted with HCCLM3 or HepG2 cells and their control groups. The apoptosis rate was lower in the HCCLM3-PCSK9 group than in the control group (p = 0.001). The apoptosis rate was higher in the HepG2-shPCSK9 group than in the control group (p = 0.006). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001