Figure 2.

Anti-PDAC effect of gut microbiota depletion is dependent on NK cells. SPF-Rag1^−/− (n = 10) or C57BL/6 J (n = 7) mice were given water or antibiotic cocktail (Abx) to deplete their gut microbiota (a). NK cells were depleted with twice weekly intraperitoneal (IP) injection of anti-ASGM1 antibody or anti-IgG isotype control antibody starting three days prior to PDAC xenograft implantation (Rag1^−/−: subcutaneous L3.6pl; C57BL/6 J: intrapancreatic Pan02). At endpoint, NK cell depletion abrogated the anti-tumor effect of microbiota depletion in both Rag1^−/− (b) and C57BL/6 J mice, representative Pan02 xenografts are shown (c). There was one premature death in the L3.6pl SPF + anti-IgG cohort and differences in cohort size for the remaining cohorts was due to failure of xenograft engraftment with no evaluable tumor to measure and were thus excluded from analysis. (*) p < .05, (**) p < .01.