Fig. 2

DLX4 isoforms BP1 and DLX7 showed opposite functions in leukemogenesis both in vivo and in vitro. a BP1 expression in K562 cells before and after BP1 transfection. BP1 expression was significantly increased after BP1 transfection in K562 cells as detected by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). K562-NC (control) was defined as 100% expression for BP1 transcript. b DLX7 expression in K562 cells before and after BP1 transfection. DLX7 expression was not changed after BP1 transfection in K562 cells as detected by RT-qPCR. K562-NC (control) was defined as 100% expression for DLX7 transcript. c DLX7 expression in K562 cells before and after DLX7 transfection. DLX7 expression was significantly increased after DLX7 transfection in K562 cells as detected by RT-qPCR. K562-NC (control) was defined as 100% expression for DLX7 transcript. d BP1 expression in K562 cells before and after DLX7 transfection. BP1 expression was not changed after DLX7 transfection in K562 cells as detected by RT-qPCR. K562-NC (control) was defined as 100% expression for BP1 transcript. e The proliferation ability in K562 affected by BP1 overexpression. K562 cells with BP1 overexpression (K562-BP1) showed a significantly increased proliferation rate than those without BP1 overexpression (K562-NC). f The cell cycle in K562 affected by BP1 overexpression. K562-BP1 cells showed a significantly higher percentage of S/G2 phase than K562-NC cells. g Representative cell cycle diagram of K562-NC and K562-BP1 cells by flow cytometry. h The proliferation ability in K562 affected by DLX7 overexpression. K562 cells with DLX7 overexpression (K562-DLX7) showed a markedly reduced proliferation rate than those without DLX7 overexpression (K562-NC). i Cell cycle in K562 affected by DLX7 overexpression. K562-DLX7 cells showed significantly lower percentage of S/G2 phase than K562-NC cells. j Representative cell cycle diagram of K562-NC and K562-DLX7 cells by flow cytometry. k The flow chart of the in vivo experiment. l The tumor load in NCG mice affected by K562 cells with BP1 and DLX7 overexpression. The tumor load of K562-BP1 group mice was significantly higher, whereas the tumor load of K562-DLX7 group mice was significantly lower compared with the tumor load of K562-NC group mice via bioluminescence imaging at the 28th day and 42th day. m The representative tumor load diagram of NCG mice with K562-NC, K562-BP1, and K562-DLX7 cells injection as detected by bioluminescence imaging. n The representative tumor volume of NCG mice with injection of K562-NC, K562-BP1, and K562-DLX7 cells. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; NS, no significance