Fig. 7: Combination therapy with TIM-3 and PD-1 monoclonal antibodies significantly improves the efficacy of immunotherapy in HNSCC.
Nude mice were injected with 1 × 106 HN30 cells overexpressing circE7 or vector control in the right hind limb, or with SCC090 cells knocking down circE7 or NC control to form xenograft tumors. After 7 and 14 days, human primary T cells and 20 μg/each of Anti-PD-1 or Anti-PD-1/TIM-3 were injected for immunotherapy. A, B T cells were labeled with DeepRed and in vivo imaging was performed to detect the survival and distribution of human primary T cells in tumor-bearing mice (n = 3 for each group). A representative images; B statistical results of the ratio of the DiR fluorescence signal from the tumor site (at the base of the right thigh) to T cell fluorescence intensity, collected 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after injection. The color scale represents the DiR fluorescence intensity of T cells in mice. C Representative tumor images. left, 24 days after HN30 cell injection (n = 6 for each group); right, 56 days after SCC090 cell injection (n = 6 for each group). D Real-time measurement of tumor volume in mice injected with HN30 or SCC090 cells once a week (n = 6 for each group). E Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of galectin-9 in paraffin-embedded HN30 and SCC090 xenograft tumors, and the results were statistically analyzed (n = 6 for each group). F Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of CD8A in HN30 and SCC090 xenograft tumors, and the results were statistically analyzed (n = 6 for each group). Correlations were calculated using unpaired two-tailed Student’s t test for (B, D), *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001. Data are presented as mean ± SD. Source data are provided as a Source Data File.
