Figure 6.
T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain 4 (TIM-4) promotes lung cancer growth in vivo. The 5 × 107 A549 cells in 100 μl PBS were subcutaneously injected into the left axillae of the nude mice. After reaching a diameter of 0.5 cm, the tumours were injected with plasmid DNA (20 μg per 100 μl in PBS) of pc3, pc3-hT4 or pc3-hT4(m) every fourth day for a total of 4 injections. (A) The tumour size was monitored every other day. Tumour volume was calculated using the following formula: volume=width2 × length × 1/2 and growth curve was drawn subsequently (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001). (B and C) After 14 days, the mice were killed and the tumours were isolated and weighed. Tumour images were observed (*P<0.05). (D) The TIM-4 mRNA expression in xenograft tumour tissues was examined by real-time PCR (*P<0.05). Animal experiments were repeated twice and at least three mice were included in each group.