Fig. 2

CD73 sustains the stemness-associated molecular phenotype in HCC. a Effects of CD73 knockdown on mRNA expressions of stemness-associated genes in Hep3B (left) and HCCLM3 (right) cells were assessed by RT-PCR assays. b Effects of CD73 overexpression on mRNA expressions of stemness-associated genes in HepG2 (left) and MHCC97L (right) cells were assessed by RT-PCR assays. c Effects of CD73 knockdown on mRNA expressions of stemness-associated genes in Hep3B (left) and HCCLM3 (right) cells were assessed by WB assays. d Effects of CD73 overexpression on mRNA expressions of stemness-associated genes in HepG2 (left) and MHCC97L (right) cells were assessed by WB assays. e Dynamic changes of EpCAM, SOX9, and CK8 mRNA as well as protein levels after CD73 knockdown in Hep3B spheres were evaluated by RT-PCR and WB assays. f Dynamic changes of EpCAM, SOX9, and CK8 mRNA as well as protein levels after CD73 knockdown in HCCLM3 spheres were evaluated by RT-PCR and WB assays. g Dynamic changes of EpCAM, SOX9, and CK8 mRNA as well as protein levels after CD73 knockdown in clinical #2 spheres were evaluated by RT-PCR and WB assays. h Dynamic changes of EpCAM, SOX9, and CK8 mRNA as well as protein levels after CD73 knockdown in clinical #6 spheres were evaluated by RT-PCR and WB assays. Throughout the figure, “*” indicated P < 0.05, “**” indicated P < 0.01, and “***” indicated P < 0.001 by two-tailed t test or Mann–Whitney test