Figure 5.

Mocetinostat sensitizes to gemcitabine in vivo

1. Relative tumor volume (RTV) of Panc1-derived tumors in NMRI nu/nu mice. Eleven days after implantation, mice were randomized according to tumor volume. Treatment with mocetinostat (60 or 90 mg/kg/day) and gemcitabine (25 mg/kg/day) was implemented (day 0) as depicted in the scheme. Shown are the group medians of the RTVs over time (left) and the individual RTVs on day 32 (right). n = 5 for each treatment group; nonparametric Mann–Whitney U-test.
2. Representative immunohistochemical stainings of serial sections showing reduced ZEB1 and increased E-cadherin in tumor tissues of mice treated with mocetinostat. Scale bar 40 μm, inserts for higher magnifications 10 μm. Squares indicate magnified regions.
3. Representative pictures of in situ hybridization for miR-203 and control probe showing gain of miR-203 and associated loss of ZEB1 detected by immunohistochemistry in serial sections of mocetinostat-treated xenograft tumors. Scale bar 40 μm, inserts for higher magnifications 5 μm. Squares indicate magnified regions.
4. Schematic outline and results for xenografts of ex vivo treated Panc1 in Foxn1 nude mice. Panc1 cells were pre-treated with mocetinostat (1 μM) and/or gemcitabine (50 nM) for 48 h, followed by a 7-day recovery period before being injected subcutaneously (left). Equal numbers of viable cells were injected in 75 μl volume. At day 9 after injection, tumor growth was detectable in all groups (lower right). To better visualize and compare tumor growth, the tumor volume at day 9 was set to 1 and the increasing slope of the tumor volume to day 37 is depicted (upper right). The individual absolute tumor volumes on day 37 (lower left) and the group medians of the absolute tumor volumes over time (lower right) are shown. For cells pre-treated with the combination of mocetinostat and gemcitabine, tumor growth was arrested. n = 4 for each treatment group; nonparametric Mann–Whitney U-test.