Figure 6.

COX-2 inhibition abrogates the MBL deficiency-promoted tumor growth and MDSC accumulation.

Mice received daily intraperitoneal injections of either selective COX-2 inhibitor SC-236 or vehicle (DMSO) throughout 21 days of HCC model establishment. Mice were then sacrificed. The liver tumor nodules and maximal tumor size (a) as well as liver index (b) were examined. Scale bars, 1 cm. Representative plots and statistical analysis of (c) MDSCs (Gr-1⁺CD11b⁺), (d) G-MDSCs (CD11b⁺Ly6C^lowLy6G⁺) and M-MDSCs (CD11b⁺Ly6C^highLy6G⁻) frequency in CD45⁺ cells in tumor tissue of the two mice groups. The percentages of (e) IFN-γ⁺CD8⁺ cells gated on CD8⁺ T cells and (f) Tregs (CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ cells) frequency gated on CD4⁺ T cell in tumor tissues of tumor-bearing mice were analyzed by flow cytometry. Data are presented as means ± SEM (horizontal lines). NS, not significant. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01. The data representative of at least three independent experiments with similar results are shown.