Figure 6. Hypericin reduces bone metastasis and increases survival in breast cancer-bearing mice.
Female BALB/c nu/nu mice were intratibially injected with 1 × 107 MDA-MB-231 cells/mL stably transfected with luciferase (MDA-MB-231-LUC) in PBS. From day 1 post-cell inoculation, animals were treated with the vehicle (PBS) or HP (9 mg/kg/day) 5 days/week until day 30. (A) Representative live images, three-dimensional computer reconstruction of the residual bone by micro-CT, decalcified bones of the mice treated with the vehicle (down) or HP (upper) were stained with H&E and TRAP. Stars indicate osteolytic bone lesions caused by injection of MDA-MB-231-LUC cells. Treatment with HP reduced these osteolytic bone lesions. (B) Evaluation of cachexia (decrease in body weight). (C) Evaluation of survival. (D) Evaluation of bone metastasis incidence. (E) ELISA for determination of the serum levels of CTX. (F) Quantitative analysis of the bone parameters verified that MDA-MB-231-LUC tumor cells induced osteolysis with a significant reduction in the BV/TV. Histomorphometric evaluation of osteoclast number and surface/bone surface, and tumor area. *P < 0.05 versus MDA-MB-231-LUC cell-injected mice.