miR-BART9 up-regulates mesenchymal markers in EBV-negative NPC cells.

<p>Expression levels of matrix metalloproteases MMP1, MMP2, MMP9, MMP10 and MMP12 (A) and E-cadherin (CDH1), α-catenin (CTNNA1) and vimentin (B) in BM1 and TW04 cells infected with lentivirus expressing the miR-BART9 or control (LacZ) vector. mRNA levels were determined via qPCR. The data were normalized to cellular EEF1A1 levels and expressed as the fold change relative to the appropriate cell line. Bar graphs provide the means ± SEM of three independent experiments and two-tailed Student's t-test were performed (*, P<0.05; **, P<0.01; ***, P<0.001). (C) Western blot analysis for the expression of indicated EMT markers. GAPDH protein was used as a protein loading control. (D) Representative immunofluorescence staining of vimentin and DAPI staining to detect the nucleus in BM1 and TW04 cells expressing miR-BART9 or LacZ. Scale bar = 20 µm. (E) Representative immunofluorescence staining of E-cadherin (CDH1) and vimentin and DAPI staining to detect the nucleus in sections of primary tumors formed by BM1 cells expressing miR-BART9 or LacZ. Scale bar = 20 µm.