Figure 6.

CuC inhibits growth of cancer xenograft tumors in vivo. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice were inoculated subcutaneously with HepG2 or PC-3 cells. Intraperitoneal administration of CuC (0.1 mg/kg, three times per week) started after the tumor size developed to 200 mm³. (A) Representative photographs of SCID mice bearing cancer cell-derived xenograft tumors treated with vehicle control or CuC. Tumors were isolated at the end of experiment with mice sacrificed by non-painful anesthesia. Tumors were much smaller in CuC-treated mice compared with vehicle control mice. Upper panel: HepG2 xenograft; lower panel: PC-3 xenograft. (B) The tumor weights were measured at the end of the in vivo assay * P < 0.05. The tumor weights represent means ± SD (n = 4). Upper panel: HepG2 xenograft; lower panel: PC-3 xenograft. (C) Represented photos show TUNEL assay results of cell death in HepG2 or PC-3 xenografts. TMR-red: DNA damage; Hoechst 33342: nuclear. Results show that CuC tumors display much intense cell death signals. Upper panel: HepG2 xenograft; lower panel: PC-3 xenograft.