Fig 2: DBF4 knockdown suppressed ccRCC cell migration in vitro. (A) Representative images of migration assays of 786-O and A498 cells subjected to DBF4 knockdown. (B) Quantification of the relative number of migrated cells. (C) Wound healing assays for 786-O and A498 cells after DBF4 was knocked down. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001

Fig 3: The expression pattern of DBF4. (A) DBF4 expression across diverse cancer types. (B) DBF4 mRNA expression was upregulated in ccRCC tissues (n = 541) compared with normal tissues (n = 72). (C) Comparison of DBF4 expression in 72 paired ccRCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. (D) DBF4 expression in the GSE53757 dataset (72 cancerous tissues and 72 paracancerous tissues) and (E) GSE36895 dataset (29 cancerous tissues and 23 paracancerous tissues) (F-H) Increased expression of DBF4 was detected in the subgroups of higher individual cancer stage, gender, and age. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001

Fig 4: DBF4 expression in ccRCC clinical samples. (A) Representative immunohistochemistry results for DBF4 expression in ccRCC clinical tumor tissues and adjacent tissues. (B) Box plot depicting the IHC staining scores for DBF4 in 69 paired ccRCC samples. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001

Fig 5: Knockdown of DBF4 expression inhibited cell proliferation and increase apoptosis of ccRCC cells. (A) Knockdown of DBF4 significantly reduced the proliferation of 786-O and A498 cells. (B) Apoptosis of 786-O and A498 cells increased significantly after DBF4 expression was knocked down. (C) Colony formation assay for 786-O and A498 cells after DBF4 expression was knocked down. All experiments were repeated three times.*, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001