Fig. 8

CRLM1-hnRNPK cooperatively regulates the expression of metastasis-related genes and promotes CRC cell metastasis. A CRLM1 and hnRNPK co-up-regulated genes. These genes were screened out through the criteria: fold change (FC) of CRLM1_hnRNPK vs CRLM1_NC ≥ 1.2, FDR ≤ 0.05; FC of CRLM1_NC vs Ctrl_NC ≥ 1.5, FDR ≤ 0.05; FC of Ctrl_hnRNPK vs Ctrl_NC ≥ 0.67 and ≤ 1.5. B CRLM1 and hnRNPK co-down-regulated genes. Criteria were same as (A) except the direction is opposite. C, D The top 10 KEGG pathways (C) and top 10 representative GO Biological Process terms (D) of all CRLM1 and hnRNPK co-regulated genes. E BBC3, SMAD6, BMP7 and SMURF2 protein expression in CRLM1-OE cells with hnRNPK knockdown by immunoblotting. F BBC3, SMAD6, BMP7 and SMURF2 mRNA expression in CRLM1-OE cells with hnRNPK knockdown by qRT-PCR. G-J The ability of CRC cell migration was detected by wound healing assay after transfection or co-transfection with corresponding vectors or siRNAs (magnification, ×200, scale bar, 100 m\(\upmu \)) (G, I) and the quantification data (H, J). K–N The invasion ability of CRC cells transfected or co-transfected with corresponding vectors or siRNAs was measured by transwell assay (magnification, ×200, scale bar, 100 μm) (K, L) and the quantification data (M, N). O, P hnRNPK knockdown inhibited liver metastasis of CRLM1-OE SW620 cells (n = 4 for each group). The images of liver metastasis (O) and the quantification data (P). Data are shown as mean ± SD, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001