IGF-1 promotes the growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma via the inhibition of proteasome-mediated cathepsin B degradation

Figure 2 Cathepsin B depletion inhibited IGF-1-induced cancer cell growth and invasion. A: Hep1-6 cells stably transfected with CTSB shRNA or control shRNA were treated with IGF-1 (100 nmol/L) for 10 d; The data are presented as representative growth curves; B: CTSB depletion inhibited IGF-1-induced cancer cell invasion. Hep1-6 cells stably transfected with CTSB shRNA or control shRNA were treated with IGF-1 (100 nmol/L) for 24 h. The data are presented as a representative Transwell assay (scale bar, 20 μm); C: Wound healing assay of Hepa 1-6 cells stably expressing CTSB shRNA cells or control shRNA treated with IGF-1 for 24 h. The data are presented as the mean ± SEM of 3 assays with triplicates. Student’s t-test. ^bP < 0.01, ^cP < 0.001, IGF-1 group vs 1% FBS group.