Fig. 6: Therapeutic effects of NIR-PMCs combined with anti-PD-1 in breast cancer mice.

a Representative images of immunohistochemical staining (CD4, CD39, CD206, CD73 and A2AR) of breast tumours. b HIF-1α and adenosine productions in orthotopic breast tumours. HIF-1α or adenosine in tumour lysates were detected by ELISA and LC-MS, respectively (n = 6 and 3). The data are presented as the mean ± SD. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001 compared to untreated breast cancer mice by two-tailed Student’s t-test. c Schematic illustration of combined treatment with NIR-PMCs and anti-PD-1. At 7 day post-tumour implantation (tumour size ~100 mm³), PMCs (25 μL, 3.6 × 10⁴/mL) were intratumourally injected into tumour-bearing mice, followed by the mice being subjected to 300 mW/cm² NIR radiation for 28 days. A single injection of PMCs was administered throughout the tumour treatment procedure. Each mouse received 10 mg/kg anti-PD-1 twice a week. d Bioluminescence image (BLI) and bright field images (BF) of breast cancer-bearing mice. Animals that received different therapeutic agents were subjected to bioluminescence imaging by camera and an IVIS imaging spectrum system at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. e, Average tumour growth curves of mice. The tumour volume of individual mice was measured by a Vernier calliper every 2 days for 20 days (n = 6). The data are presented as the mean ± SD. ***p < 0.001 compared to untreated breast cancer mice according to two-tailed Student’s t-test. f Ex vivo imaging of pulmonary metastasis. The animals that received different treatments were sacrificed at 21 days for visualization of metastatic nodules in the lungs. The nodules of pulmonary metastases are described by black outline. g Kaplan–Meier curves showing the survival rates of the indicated mice at 60 days (n = 10). The data are presented as ***p < 0.001, compared to the data for untreated hepatocarcinoma tumour-bearing rabbits according to Log rank test by SPSS statistics 17.0 software. Source data are provided as a Source data file.