Fig. 6: Tocilizumab blocked CAF-induced growth and radioresistance in vitro.
A MDA-MB-231 cells (1 × 105) and CAFs (4 × 105) were injected subcutaneously into the right limbs of nude mice. When the tumors reach 150 mm3, they were exposed daily to 2 Gy radiation for five treatments. Tocilizumab was administered 2 h before irradiation. The tumor volume was monitored every 2 days. B The weight of the tumors harvested from nude mice. Data points indicate the average tumor weight (g) of each group (n = 4); bars, SE. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. C, D IHC staining of αSMA, p-STAT3, and KI67 in the tumors derived from the nude mice. Scale bars, 50 μm. E The levels of IL-6 and p-STAT3 were detected via IHC in breast cancer samples. Scale bars, 100 μm. F Kaplan–Meier survival analysis of the relapse-free survival of patients with breast cancer with high tumor levels of IL-6. G Kaplan–Meier survival analysis of the relapse-free survival of patients with breast cancer with high tumor levels of p-STAT3. Results are indicated as means ± SD, n = 3, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.
