Figure 7.

Single low-dose irradiation enhances delivery and efficacy of dual Pd-NP and C₁₆proMMAE treatment. (a) Based on published experimental data (see Table S3), computational modeling predicts how local 5 Gy irradiation, performed 72 h prior to NP injection, impacts tumoral NP accumulation and prodrug activation (n = 24 optimizations; means ± s.e.m.). (b–c) HT1080 tumor cells and the accumulation of PLGA-PEG NP were compared with or without irradiation as modeled in (a), shown by confocal fluorescence microscopy in live tumors (b; n ≥ 3, scale bar 100 μm), and flow cytometry of excised and digested tumors (c; n ≥ 4), 24 h post-treatment with NP. (d–e) HT1080 tumor xenografts were treated as in Figure 6a, but with addition of a single-dose of 5 Gy irradiation locally to the tumor site (un-irradiated groups are re-shown for reference; n ≥ 5, means ± s.e.m). Corresponding changes in the volumes of individual tumors were quantified at day 7 (n ≥ 5, means ± s.e.m; two-tailed t tests).