Figure 5.

Tasquinimod decreases tumor burden and significantly prolongs median survival of 5TMM mice. (A) 6-week-old C57BL/KaLwRij mice were inoculated with 1.0×10⁶ 5TGM1-eGFP cells on day 0 for the 5TGM1 model (n=10/group). Six-week-old C57BL/KaLwRij mice were inoculated with 1.0×10⁶ 5T33 vv cells on day 0 for the 5T33MM model (n=10/group). Treatment with tasquinimod (30 mg/kg in daily drinking water) started on day 1. At day 35 (5TGM1 model) or 21 (5T33MM model) all mice were sacrificed. (B) In the 5TGM1 model, teGFP expression was analyzed using flow cytometry to determine the number of tumor cells in the bone marrow. For the 5T33MM model, tumor load was assessed using May-Grunwald Giemsa-stained cytosmears of mononuclear bone marrow cells and the percentage plasma cells was calculated. (C) The M protein was analyzed by serum electrophoresis. (D) MM cells were MACS sorted from the bone marrow of vehicle and tasquinimod-treated mice and c-MYC levels were detected via western blot. (E) Serum IFN-γ concentration in the 5T33MM model was detected using ELISA. (F) Kaplan-Meier survival curves for the 5TGM1 mice treated with/without tasquinimod (n=10/group). **p<0.01, ****p<0.0001, Mann-Whitney U test. Error bars indicate SD. MM, multiple myeloma.