HMGA2 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma via transforming growth factor-β/small mothers against decapentaplegic 2

Figure 5 HMGA2 drives epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis in cholangiocarcinoma cells via the transforming growth factor-β/small mothers against decapentaplegic 2 pathway. A and B: Western blot (WB) analysis of transforming growth factor-β/small mothers against decapentaplegic 2 (TGF-β/Smad2) pathway intervention efficiency; C and D: Transwell assays showing the TGF-β/Smad2 pathway mediates HMGA2-egulated cell invasion; E and F: WB demonstrating that the TGF-β/Smad2 pathway mediates HMGA2-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition. ^aP < 0.05. ^bP < 0.01. ^cP < 0.001. ^dP < 0.0001. NC: Negative control; OE-HMGA2: HMGA2 over-expression; sh-HMGA2: Short hairpin RNA-mediated HMGA2 knockdown; GAPDH: Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; TGF: Transforming growth factor; Smad2: Small mothers against decapentaplegic 2; p-Smad2: Phospho-small mothers against decapentaplegic 2.