Figure 5. AAV2 infection reduced MDA-MB-435 tumor growth and increased survival in nude mice. (A) MDA-MB-435 cells (5 × 10⁶) were implanted subcutaneously in the shoulder of mice. Tumor size was measured every other day. When xenografts reached volumes of ~300 mm³ (approximately 2 wk), the mice were randomly assigned to control and AAV2 treated groups (n = 5). Two sets of 5 mice each received a single AAV2 dosage of 10⁵ and 10⁶ infectious units per tumor administered via intratumoral injections. The respective dosage of AAV2 virus was diluted in 200 μL PBS and used for injecting multiple sites of the tumor. Control tumors either received intratumoral injections of 200 μL PBS or not manipulated (Mock). When the control tumors reached ~2400 mm³ (on day 32), the mock and PBS-treated mice were sacrificed due to their grossly restricted ability to move and to feed arising from the tumor burden. (B) The mice receiving intratumoral injections of AAV2 at both 10⁵ and 10⁶ dosages survived longer than the control mice and did not display similar restrictions in movements and feeding habits as the controls, and were eventually euthanized on day 56. Statistical analyses are expressed as means (SD).