Figure 5. Effects of miR-16 and KRAS on the growth of CRC xenografts in mice.
SW480 cells were untreated (mock), infected with a lentivirus to overexpress miR-16, transfected with a plasmid to overexpress KRAS, or co-transfected with a lentivirus to overexpress miR-16 and a plasmid to overexpress KRAS. After the different treatments, SW480 cells (2 × 106 cells per mouse) were then implanted subcutaneously into 5-week-old male C57BL/6J nude mice (6 mice per group), and tumor growth was evaluated at day 30 after cell implantation. (A) Representative images of the tumors from the implanted mice. (B) Quantitative analysis of the tumor weights. (C) Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the miR-16 levels in tumors from the implanted mice. (D) Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the KRAS mRNA levels in tumors from the implanted mice. (E and F) Western blotting analysis of the KRAS protein levels in tumors from the implanted mice. (E) representative image; (F) quantitative analysis. (G–I) H&E-stained sections and immunohistochemical staining for KRAS and Ki-67 in tumors from the implanted mice. (G) representative image; (H and I) quantitative analysis. (mean ± S.D.; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001).