Figure 8.
K-Ras knockdown enhances the therapeutic efficacy of everolimus in treating PDAC xenografts. (A) Mouse subcutaneous PDAC xenografts were generated from empty vector and K-Ras shRNA sequence 2 (sh2) and treated either with everolimus (4 mg/kg/day) in the experimental group or saline in the control group for the days as indicated. The tumor volumes from the same group mice were presented as mean±SD and statistically analysed. *, p < 0.05 and **, p < 0.01 as compared with control and #, p < 0.05 and ##, p < 0.01 as compared with everolimus treatment. (B) The representative xenografts were shown from the experimental and control group. (C) The vector or K-Ras shRNA cells-derived xenografts, treated or untreated with everolimus, were examined by western blotting using antibodies to K-Ras, p-S6, S6 and actin as a loading control. (D) The xenografts were also embedded in paraffin blocks and paraffin sections were examined by immunohistochemistry using p-ERK antibody.