Fig. 5: cMSC^SIPC/CtC^S triggers potent T-cell-mediated tumor-specific killing without the limitations of ITH.

a–c Percentages of dead RT4-GFP (a), RT4-mCherry (b), and RT4-GFP/RT4-mCherry (c) cells treated with PBS, cMSC^SIPC or cMSC^SIPC/CtC^S, respectively. The data were presented as the mean ± SD; n = 3 individual experiments. Significance was determined via two-tailed Student’s t-tests; NS not significant. d–f Total expression levels of TNF-α (d), IL-2 (e), and IFN-γ (f) in the supernatants of cells in the PBS, cMSC^SIPC, and cMSC^SIPC/CtC^S groups, respectively, n = 3 individual experiments. The data were presented as the mean ± SD, and significance was determined via two-tailed Student’s t-tests. NS not significant. g Schematic illustration of the treatment schedule for the RT4-GFP/RT4-mCherry mouse model. Created in BioRender. Zhan, H. (2025) https://BioRender.com/ckseent. h Comparison of the tumor growth kinetics of RT4-GFP/RT4-mCherry mice subjected to different treatments: PBS, AAV-blank, anti-PD1, AAV (cMSC^SIPC), and AAV (cMSC^SIPC/CtC^S). The tumor volume (mm³) was monitored daily using the caliper method. The data were presented as the mean ± SD (n = 5 mice), and significance was determined via two-tailed one-way ANOVA. NS not significant. i Kaplan‒Meier survival curves of various groups. A log-rank (Mantel‒Cox) test was performed to compare survival between groups (n = 5 mice). NS not significant. j, k Percentages of CD69 + T cells in the CD4+ (j) and CD8+ (k) T-cell subsets among tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from different groups (n = 5 mice). The data were presented as the mean ± SD; significance was determined via two-tailed Student’s t-tests. NS not significant. l, m Proportions of IFN-γ-secreting CD4+ (l) and CD8+ (m) T cells in the tumor microenvironments of the different groups (n = 5 mice). The data were presented as the mean ± SD; significance was determined via two-tailed Student’s t-tests. NS not significant. n, o Frequencies of TNF-α-producing CD4+ (n) and CD8+ (o) T lymphocytes in tumors from different groups (n = 5 mice). The data were presented as the mean ± SD; significance was determined via two-tailed Student’s t-tests. NS not significant. p Schematic illustration of the treatment schedule in the mouse model of PDX. q The average tumor growth kinetics of PDXs demonstrated different responses to various treatments: PBS, AAV-blank, anti-PD1, AAV (cMSC^SIPC), and AAV (cMSC^SIPC/CtC^S). The tumor volume (mm³) was monitored daily using a caliper. The data were presented as the mean ± SD (n = 5 mice), and significance was determined via two-tailed one-way ANOVA. NS not significant. r Kaplan‒Meier survival curves of various groups. A log-rank (Mantel‒Cox) test was performed to compare survival between groups (n = 5 mice). NS not significant.