Circular RNA_0057209 Acts as ceRNA to Inhibit Thyroid Cancer Progression by Promoting the STK4-Mediated Hippo Pathway via Sponging MicroRNA-183

Figure 7

STK4 impairs the proliferation, migration, and invasion of thyroid cancer cells while inducing cell apoptosis by regulating the Hippo pathway. (a) Western blot assay displaying the protein expression of Hippo pathway-related factors (MST1, LAST1, LAST2, YAP1, and p-YAP1) in si-STK4-treated thyroid cancer cells. (b) Immunofluorescence staining displaying the location of YAP1 and the nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio (N/C) in si-STK4-treated thyroid cancer cells. Red represents YAP1 and blue represents the nucleus (×400). Thyroid cancer cells were treated with si-STK4 or combined with verteporfin. (c) CCK-8 displaying the thyroid cancer cell proliferation. (d) Transwell assay displaying the migration of thyroid cancer cells. (e) Transwell assay displaying the invasion of thyroid cancer cells. (f) FCM analysis of cell cycle distribution. (g) FCM displaying the cell apoptosis rate. (h) Western blot assay displaying the relative protein expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Ki67, PCNA, Bax, and Bcl-2 in thyroid cancer cells. Compared with the si-STK4 group, , # indicated compared with the si-STK4+DMSO group, , , ; ^##, ^###. The cell experiment was repeated three times independently.

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