Fig. 5
CD73 upregulates SOX9 expression in an AKT-signaling-dependent manner. a Effects of AKT antagonist treatment on SOX9 expression in CD73-high HCC cells (left), and effects of AKT agonist treatment on SOX9 expression in CD73-low HCC cells (right). b Effects of AKT antagonist treatment on sphere-forming capacities in CD73-high HCC cells (left), and effects of AKT agonist treatment on sphere-forming capacities in CD73-low HCC cells (right). c Effects of AKT antagonist treatment on Lenvatinib resistance potentials in CD73-high HCC cells (left two panels), and effects of AKT agonist treatment on Lenvatinib resistance potentials in CD73-low HCC cells (right two panels). d Effects of AKT agonist treatment on SOX9 expression in CD73-knockdown HCC cells. e Effects of AKT agonist treatment on sphere-forming capacities in CD73-knockdown HCC cells. f Effects of AKT agonist treatment on Lenvatinib resistance potentials in CD73-knockdown HCC cells. g Effects of AKT antagonist treatment on SOX9 expression in CD73-overexpressed HCC cells. e Effects of AKT antagonist treatment on sphere-forming capacities in CD73-overexpressed HCC cells. f Effects of AKT antagonist treatment on Lenvatinib resistance potentials in CD73-overexpressed HCC cells. j Effects of AKT agonist treatment on SOX9 expression in CD73- HCC cells, and effects of AKT antagonist treatment on SOX9 expression in CD73+ HCC cells. k Effects of AKT agonist treatment on sphere-forming capacities in CD73- HCC cells, and effects of AKT antagonist treatment on sphere-forming capacities in CD73+ HCC cells. l Effects of AKT agonist treatment on Lenvatinib resistance potentials in CD73- HCC cells, and effects of AKT antagonist treatment on Lenvatinib resistance potentials in CD73+ HCC cells. m-o Effects of SOX9 knockdown on the expression levels of stemness-associated genes (m), sphere-forming capacities (n), or Lenvatinib resistance potentials (o) in AKT agonist-treated CD73-low HCC cells. 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