Figure 5
Paclitaxel in combination with MWE retarded tumor growth in a human bladder carcinoma TSGH 8301 xenograft model.
(a) TSGH 8301 cells (1 × 107 cells/mouse) were injected into the right inguinal region of a nude mouse to form tumor xenografts. When the tumor size reached approximately 250 to 300 mm3, the mice were randomly divided into 4 groups and received the following treatments: paclitaxel combined with MWE, MWE alone, paclitaxel alone and sterile deionized water (control group). Tumor size was monitored every week and the results are expressed as the percentage of the size at week 0 (the day treatment started) for each group. (b) The levels of total (t-PTEN) and phospho-PTEN (p-PTEN) and Caspase 3 in the tumor specimens were determined by Western blotting and then quantified using β-actin as the protein loading control; the results are expressed as a percentage of the control. (c) Immunohistochemical examination of p-PTEN in the tumor sections obtained from the indicated treatment. (d) and (e) Fluorescent immunohistochemical detection of Ki67 and TUNEL examination in the xenografts obtained from the indicated treatment. (f ) Western blotting analysis of the levels of Cyclin B1, Cdc2 and Aurora A in xenograft tumors. Arrow indicates the Ki67 or TUNEL positive cells. One-way ANOVA with post-hoc Dunnett’s test was used to calculate the p value for each treatment compared to paclitaxel alone, (+p < 0.05;++p < 0.01) at each time point (**indicates p < 0.01 and *indicates p < 0.05).
