Figure 5.

 ASC activation eradicates tumor cells in vivo. (a) NUGC‐4, NUC12N2, COLO205, and CLC12N2 cells (2.5 × 10⁶) were transplanted intradermally into the back of nude mice (n = 4) on day 0. Muramyl dipeptide (MDP; 200 μg) or control PBS was injected i.v. into mice on days 5 and 8 (vertical arrows). Error bars indicate SD. (b) NUC12N2 cells (2.5 × 10⁶) were injected i.p. into nude mice (n = 4) on day 0. On days 3 and 10, MDP (200 μg) or PBS was injected i.p. The upper panels show mice in a supine position on day 49. The accumulation of ascites was evident in all the mice receiving PBS but not in those receiving MDP. The lower table shows the ratio of mice with ascite accumulation and peritoneal tumor nodules on day 49.