Figure 5.

The combination of ubiquitinated proteins (UPs)-4T1/epirubicin (EPB) nanovaccine with chemotherapy and stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonists exhibited strong anti-tumor effects in larger breast cancer. (A) Immunization protocol for UPs-4T1/EPB nanovaccine combined with STING agonists in CD4⁺ T cell-depleted or CD8⁺ T cell-depleted mice (n = 4 to 6 per group). (B–E) The tumor growth (B), survival (C) and metastasis rate (D) were monitored. Representative Bouin’s-fixed lungs and the number of lung metastatic nodules in tumor-bearing mice (E). (F) Immunization protocol for UPs-4T1/EPB nanovaccine combined with chemotherapy and STING agonists in larger breast cancer (n = 4 to 6 per group). (G–I) The tumor growth (G) and metastasis rate (H) were monitored. Representative Bouin’s-fixed lungs and the number of lung metastatic nodules in tumor-bearing mice (I). P-values were determined by Mann–Whitney U-test. The results are representative of three independent experiments, and data were expressed as means ± SEM (*p < 0.05; ns, not significant).