Figure 1.

VDAC1 depletion by specific si-RNA inhibits tumor growth and reprogrammed metabolism of U-87-MG cell-derived tumors. (A) U-87-MG cells were inoculated subcutaneously into nude mice (3 × 10⁶ cells/mouse). When the tumor volume reached 60–100 mm³, the mice were divided into two groups (five mice per group) and treated with non-targeted siRNA (si-NT) or human VDAC1-specific si-RNA (si-hVDAC1) by intratumoral injection (every 3 days) to a final concentration of 75 nM per tumor. The calculated average tumor volume (means ± SEM, ** p < 0.01) are presented in mm³. (B,C) VDAC1 mRNA expression levels in si-NT-TTs and si-hVDAC1 were analyzed by qRT-PCR (B) or immunoblotting (C). (D,E) Expression of selected metabolism-related proteins (Glut1, GAPDH, citrate synthase (CS), complex IV, and ATP Syn5a), as analyzed by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining using specific antibodies (F) and qRT-PCR-assessed mRNA levels (G) of si-NT- or si-hVDAC1-TTs. p < 0.001 (***), p < 0.01 (**), p < 0.05 (*).