VX-509 attenuates the stemness characteristics of colorectal cancer stem-like cells by regulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition through Nodal/Smad2/3 signaling

Figure 6 VX-509 reverses the increase in epithelial-mesenchymal transition progression induced by Nodal over expression in colorectal cancer-derived cancer stem cells. A: Morphological changes in Nodal-stimulated colorectal cancer (CRC)-derived cancer stem cells (CSCs) treated with different concentrations of VX-509 observed via microscopy; B and C: The effects of VX-509 on the protein expression levels of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and vimentin in Nodal-stimulated CRC-derived CSCs were detected by western blot and relative statistical analysis, normalized against GAPDH; D and E: The effects of VX-509 on the protein expression levels of Nodal and p-Smad2/3 in Nodal-stimulated CRC-derived CSCs were detected by western blot and relative statistical analysis, normalized against GAPDH. n = 3. ^aP < 0.05, ^cP < 0.001, ^eP < 0.05 compared to the HCT116 cancer stem cells Mock group and HT29 cancer stem cells Mock group. ^fP < 0.05, ^gP < 0.01, ^hP < 0.0001 compared to the HCT116 cancer stem cells Nodal group and HT29 CSCs Nodal group.