Fig. 3

SVCT-2 determines the differential susceptibility to pharmacological VC-induced cell death. a IC50 values of VC in HCC cell lines and immortalized liver cell lines. These cells were treated with various concentrations of VC for 48 h. Cell viability was determined by the CCK-8 assay. b Relative weights of tumors from HCC-LM3 cells and Huh7 cells subcutaneously inoculated into nude mice after VC or PBS treatment. c SVCT-2 mRNA expressions in HCC cell lines and immortalized liver cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR. d Correlation between SVCT-2 mRNA expressions and IC50 values of VC in HCC cell lines and immortalized liver cell lines. e Western blot analysis showing expressions of SVCT-2 in HCC cell lines and relative normal liver cells. Actin served as a loading control. Samples derived from the same experiment and gels/blots were processed in parallel. f Correlation between SVCT-2 protein expression and IC50 values of VC in HCC cell lines and relative normal liver cells. g Intracellular VC concentration in the tested cells after exposure to 2 mM VC for 1 h. h Correlation between SVCT-2 mRNA expression and intracellular VC concentration in tested cells after VC treatment. i Left: Huh7 cells were transfected with SVCT-2-shRNA or scramble shRNA and the SVCT-2 expression was analyzed by immunoblotting. Samples derived from the same experiment and gels/blots were processed in parallel. Right: Huh7 cells transfected with SVCT-2-shRNA or scramble shRNA were treated with indicated doses of VC for 48 h. Cell viability was determined by the CCK-8 assay. j Intracellular VC concentrations in shSVCT-2 cells and shCtrl cells after treatment with VC at the indicated doses for 1 h. Data are representative of at least three independent experiments and shown as mean ± s.d. (*p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001)