Regulatory T cell-derived exosomes regulate β-catenin expression to promote the stem cell-like properties of hepatocellular carcinoma

Figure 4 The level of long non-coding RNA FLICR in hepatocellular carcinoma cells increased after co-culturing with regulatory T cell-derived exosomes. A: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure long non-coding RNA FLICR levels in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells before and after co-culture with regulatory T-derived exosomes. ^aP < 0.05, compared to the control group, n = 3; B: Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect CD133+ cancer stem cells, and fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to visualize long non-coding RNA FLICR expression in HCC cells. Scale bar = 100 μm, n = 3. Biological replicates were used in all experiments. Control group: HCC-LM3 cells cultured alone. Exosome group: HCC-LM3 cells co-cultured with regulatory T cell-derived exosomes.