Reactive Oxygen Species Induce Endothelial Differentiation of Liver Cancer Stem-Like Sphere Cells through the Activation of Akt/IKK Signaling Pathway

Figure 5

Hydrogen peroxide promotes the endothelial differentiation of sphere cells. (a) ROS levels in parental Hep G2 and sphere cells were examined with DCFH-DA staining and analyzed by flow cytometry. Endothelial differentiated sphere cells cultured in the presence or absence 1 mM NAC for 30 min were further treated with 100 μM H₂O₂ for 24 h. The cells were then subjected to immunofluorescence analysis for the expression of CD31 (b) and vWF (c) (200×). (d) Endothelial differentiated sphere cells were seeded on Matrigel in the presence or absence of NAC (1 mM) for 30 min and further treated with or without 100 μM H₂O₂ for 24 h. The photographs of tube formation were taken (100×). The number of formed tubes was calculated. The data were presented as (). vs. control group and # vs. H₂O₂ treatment alone.

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