Fig. 7. USP8 inhibitor sensitizes pancreatic cancer to immunotherapy targeting PD-L1.

a Schematic diagram of the protocol for USP8 inhibitor and αPD-L1 combination therapy for orthotopic KPC-Luci cell (5 × 10⁵)-bearing mice. b Photographs of tumors removed from mice treated with the USP8 inhibitor, αPD-L1, or their combination (n = 5). c The statistical graph of tumor weights of the four groups (n = 5). d Representative images displaying changes in the luminescence intensity of tumors obtained using In Vivo Imaging and the relative luminescence intensity change (e) on the last day. f Flow cytometry of PD-L1 levels in an orthotopic tumor model, statistical results (g) are shown. h Flow cytometry of MHC-1 levels in an orthotopic tumor model, statistical results (i) are shown. j, k Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) assessed using flow cytometry and the statistical analysis of the results (n = 5). l, m Representative images of IHC staining and quantification of TILs (n = 5). Scale bars = 250 μm. The results are shown as the means ± SD from representative experiments in (c, e, g, i, k and m). The data represent three independent experiments. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001 assessed via a two-tailed t test; ns not significant.