HIF-1α induces VE-cadherin expression and modulates vasculogenic mimicry in esophageal carcinoma cells

Figure 2 Knockdown of hypoxia inducible factor-1α inhibits vasculogenic mimicry formation and expression of vasculogenic mimicry-related genes in vitro. A: Effect of silencing HIF-1α on the formation of VM in ESCC cells (magnification × 200) (Group 1: Untransfected cells; Group 2: Cells transfected with empty vector; Group 3: Cells transfected with pGCsi-HIF3); Control group vs parental cells, P < 0.05; B: Expression of HIF-1α protein and VM-related genes in esophageal squamous cancer cells. Expression of HIF-1α and the four VM-related genes in TE13/shHIF and Eca109/shHIF cells under hypoxia vs under normoxia, P < 0.05. HPF: High-power field; HIF: Hypoxia inducible factor; VM: Vasculogenic mimicry; ESCC: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. N: Normoxia; H: Hypoxia.