Research Paper Volume 12, Issue 9 pp 7786—7800

Figure 2. ACSL4 promoted HCC cell proliferation and repressed cell apoptosis via activating mTOR signalling. Huh-7 and SK-HEP-1 cells were transfected with si-NC, si-ACSL4, OE-NC or OE-ACSL4, with or without rapamycin treatment, and then the following assays were carried out. (A, B) RT-PCR and western blotting assays were carried out to assess the expression levels of ACSL4 at the mRNA and protein levels, respectively (^*P<0.05, ^**P<0.01, si-ACSL4 group compared with si-NC group; ^#P<0.05, ^##P<0.01, OE-ACSL4 group compared with OE-NC group). (C, D) The expression levels of mTOR and p-mTOR were detected by using a western blotting assay. (E, F) CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation (^*P<0.05, compared with the control group; ^#P<0.05, compared with the OE-ACSL4 group). (G) Flow cytometry assay was used to test cell apoptosis (^*P<0.05, compared with the control group; ^#P<0.05, compared with the OE-ACSL4 group).