Figure 4.

In vivo biodistribution of 3WJ-B-α9-apt-Alexa RNA nanoparticles in mice with TNBC-PDX tumors

(A) Whole-body images (left) and quantitative analysis of tumor area (right) in TNBC-PDX tumor-bearing mice 2 h after tail vein injection of 3WJ-B-α9-apt-Alexa, 3WJ-C-α9-apt-Alexa, and 3WJ-Alexa (2 μmol/L solution at 100 μL) with PBS as a negative control. (B) Representative ex vivo images (left) and quantitative analysis (right) in tumors and major organs of 3WJ-B-α9-apt-Alexa, 3WJ-C-α9-apt-Alexa, 3WJ-Alexa, and PBS 8 h post-injection into mice. T, tumor; H, heart; Li, liver; S, spleen; Lu, lung; K, kidney. Red-yellow color scale: radiant efficiency (p s⁻¹ cm⁻² sr⁻¹) (μW cm⁻²)⁻¹. n = 3 biologically independent animals; statistics were calculated by two-tailed unpaired t test and presented as mean ± SEM. ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.001 (A and B). (C) Fluorescence and FRET images of ex vivo RNA nanoparticle-treated TNBC-PDX tumors stained with α9-nAChR antibodies (secondary antibodies labeled with Rho, green). The red/blue color spectrum represents the intensity of FRET efficiency. Scale bars, 50 μm.