Figure 4.

MIM-seq displays slight anti-tumor effects in a subcutaneous xenograft model of colon carcinoma. (A) Experimental scheme of the in vivo study. Briefly, HCT-116 cells were subcutaneously implanted into the left flank of each mouse on Day 0 (D0) and tumor-bearing animals were block-randomized into two groups (MIM-seq and Veh.) on Day 15 (D15). Starting from D15 to Day 41 (D41), each group was daily treated by oral gavage with 0.38 mg/100 μL water/mouse of Veh. or MIM-seq. Mice’s body weights and tumor growth were monitored during the treatment course. The experiment was ended on Day 41, when the animals were euthanized and the tumors were necropsied. (B) Tumor volume evolution is displayed from D15 to D41, as percentages of animal tumor volumes at D15 (n = 9 in each group) ± SD. The mean evolution of tumor growth between D15 and D41 was compared between groups with linear mixed models for repeated measures (p = 0.02 at D41). (C) Tumor weights were measured at necropsy (D41). The tumor weights (p = 0.48) are represented with scatter plots and mean ± SD. The two groups are compared with Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests. (D–I) The graphs represent the evolution of tumor volume, from D10 to D41, in each mouse of Veh.-treated group (D–F) and MIM-seq-treated group (G–I). The orange arrow in graphs indicates the day of starting treatment (D15). The graphs were made to evaluate the evolution at different time windows: on D21 the cut-off was set at 250 mm³ (D,G), on D27 the cut-off was set at 500 mm³ (E,H), and on D41 two cut-offs were set at 1000 and at 2000 mm³ (F,I).