Fig. 7.

Inhibition of subcutaneous solid tumor development in nude mice after the treatments. (A) Subcutaneous solid tumors in nude mice. U118MG cells were harvested, counted, and suspended in an equal volume of high-concentrated Matrigel and then 100 µL of the suspension (5 × 10⁶ cells) was injected under the dorsal skin of nude mice. The animals were left for 3 weeks without any treatment for uniform development of visible tumors. Afterwards, the mice were injected at the tumor site with either survivin siRNA plasmid vector (50 µg DNA/injection/mouse) or 4-HPR (10 µg/injection/mouse) or both agents together on alternate days for 5 weeks. At the end of 8th week, the animals were anesthetized with ketamine and xylazine and then photographed. (B) Subcutaneous solid tumors surgically removed and photographed. The data are representative of 6 mice in each group. (C) Longitudinal measurement of tumor volume using a digital vernier caliper in nude mice. Data are mean ± SD of 6 animals in each group. (D) Quantitative presentation of tumor weight. Data are mean ± SD of 6 animals in each group (*P < .001 compared with the control mean values and ^#P < .001 compared with the survivin siRNA or 4-HPR mean values).