Figure 3.
CD44 3′-UTR expression promotes endothelial-cell activities and angiogenesis. (a) YPEN-1 cells were mixed with CD44 3′-UTR and control cells and inoculated in Matrigel™. Tube formation was examined with light microscopy. CD44 3′-UTR mixed with YPEN-1 cells formed larger complexes and longer tubes compared with the control cells mixed with YPEN-1 cells. Low magnification scale bars = 400 µm, high-magnification scale bars = 100 µm. (b) Pairs of CD44 3′-UTR and control tumor sections were stained with anti-CD34 antibody. There was an increased number of blood vessels (arrows) in the CD44 3′-UTR tumor sections compared with the controls. Scale bars = 50 µm. (c) The tumor sections were co-immunostained with TUNEL for apoptotic cells (green) and CD34 to detect blood vessels (red). The CD44 3′-UTR tumor sections had an increased amount of apoptotic cell death and blood vessels compared with the control.