Journal: Frontiers in Oncology
Article Title: Targeting endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced CLGN resensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma to apoptosis: paeonol synergistically enhances efficacy by dual inhibition of CLGN and NF-κB
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1709962
Figure Lengend Snippet: High CLGN expression correlates with aggressive clinicopathological features and poor prognosis in HCC. (A) CLGN mRNA expression in unpaired HCC and normal liver tissues from the TCGA-LIHC cohort (unpaired Student’s t-test). (B–F) Analysis of CLGN mRNA expression levels in the TCGA cohort stratified by (B) tumor status, (C) age, (D) sex, (E) serum AFP level, and (F) histological grade (unpaired Student’s t-test or one-way ANOVA). (G) Sankey diagram illustrating the flow and association between TNM stage, histological grade, CLGN expression level, and tumor status. (H) IHC images of CLGN staining in HCC tissues, classified into four grades (0-3) based on staining intensity. (I) Statistical analysis of CLGN IHC scores in HCC tissues compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues (paired Student’s t-test). (J–L) Analysis of CLGN IHC scores stratified by (J) hepatitis status, (K) liver cirrhosis status, and (L) tumor size (unpaired Student’s t-test). (M, N) Correlation between CLGN protein expression and the ERS markers (M) GRP78 and (N) ATF6. Patients were grouped based on the median IHC score of each ERS marker (unpaired Student’s t-test). (O) Kaplan-Meier analysis of overall survival based on CLGN IHC staining in our institutional cohort (n=35, Log-rank test). (P, Q) Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of the TCGA-LIHC cohort based on CLGN mRNA expression levels, showing (P) disease-specific survival and (Q) overall survival (Log-rank test). (R) Western blot analysis of CLGN protein expression in 8 paired fresh-frozen HCC (T) and adjacent non-tumor (N) tissues. GAPDH was used as a loading control. Data are presented as mean ± SD. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.
Article Snippet: Immunohistochemical staining was performed via a two-step method with a human monoclonal anti-rabbit CLGN antibody (1:100, BOSTER), a KI-67 antibody (1:400, CST), and an NF-κB antibody (1:400, CST).
Techniques: Expressing, Staining, Marker, Immunohistochemistry, Western Blot, Control