Fig. 4

Snail and EndMT-related protein expression in lungs in orthotopic murine 4T1 breast cancer model. a–g Expression of Snail (see Methods). Representative micrographs of arteries from control (a), 1st (b), 2nd (c), 3rd (d), 4th (e), and 5th (f) week after 4T1 cell inoculation. Scale bar represents 50 μm. g Quantitative expression of Snail in endothelial layer of small arteries of each group, shown as median and IQR. Black circle indicates outlier. Data analyzed with Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparison test; n = 61, n = 60, n = 58, n = 60, n = 60, and n = 59 for control, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th week. Statistical significance vs healthy control group at ***P < 0.001. h, i TGF-β1 (I, TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 heterodimers; II, TGF-β1 homodimers; III, full-length inactive TGF-β1; IV, mature TGF-β1) (h) and VE-CAD (vascular endothelium cadherin), CD31 (cluster of differentiation 31), vWF (von Willebrand factor), and VEGFR2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2) (i) levels determined by western blot analysis in pooled (n = 6) samples in control and 4T1 breast cancer-bearing mice from the 1st to 5th week after 4T1 cancer cell inoculation (see Methods). Results presented as fold change vs control sample corresponding to healthy mice. Total protein after transfer was used as loading control