Figure 6.

Animal models were established as a saline group, a free DAC group, an NPs-DAC group, a free nivolumab group, an NPs-DAC+αPD1 group, and an αPD1-NPs-DAC group

(A) Although all groups showed similar tumor sizes by the 40th day after tumor inoculation, the tumor volumes in the saline group were obviously higher than these in the free DAC and NPs-DAC groups. Moreover, the tumor volumes were gradually reduced in the free nivolumab group and NPs-DAC+αPD1 group, with the αPD1-NPs-DAC group showing the smallest tumor size. (B) Better survival rate in the αPD1-NPs-DAC group and NPs-DAC+αPD1 group was observed, and the free nivolumab and NPs-DAC group showed a better survival rate than the saline group, although lower than that of the NPs-DAC+αPD1 group. (C) TUNEL assay of the implanted tumor also validated the growth of tumor in different animal groups.