Fig. 5

Nir-Ir NPs exhibit excellent antitumor activity in vivo. (A) Tumor growth curves of HCT116 subcutaneous tumor-bearing mice following treatment with PBS, Ir, Nir, Nir/Ir mixture or Nir-Ir NPs. Data were presented as mean values ± SD (n = 4 mice per group). (B) Representative images of the HCT116 tumors collected at day 15 after treatment for different groups. (C) Tumor weight was measured (HCT116 tumor tissue), and the weight of all tumors in each group was compared, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 indicated statistical difference between groups from two-tailed student’s t test. (D) Body weight record of HCT116 tumor-bearing mice in different groups following treatments. (E) Tumor growth curves of Ir-resistant HCT8/V subcutaneous tumor-bearing mice following different treatment. Data were presented as mean values ± SD (n = 4 mice per group). (F) Photographs of the HCT8/V tumors collected at day 45. (G) Tumor weight was measured (HCT8/V tumor tissue), and the weight of all tumors in each group was compared, *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001 indicated statistical difference between groups from two-tailed student’s t test. (H) Body weight of HCT8/V tumor-bearing mice in different groups following treatments. (I) H&E staining images, TUNEL staining and immunohistochemistry assay of γH2AX protein of tumor tissues from the HCT116 tumor-bearing mice. (J) H&E staining images, TUNEL staining and immunohistochemistry assay of MRP1 protein of tumor tissues from the HCT8/V tumor-bearing mice. A representative image of four biologically independent animals from each group was shown in (I, J). Scale bar: 100 μm