Fig. 7

Validation of the role of LDHA in pancreatic cancer. (A) Workflow displaying the immune cells co-cultured with PDOs. (B) Microscopic observation (left panel) and CTG assay (right panel) demonstrated the knockdown of LDHA significantly slowed the growth rate of PDOs. (C) IHC staining showing the expression of LDHA and Ki-67 in sh-NC and sh-LDHA groups. (D) RT-qPCR revealed the expression of candidate markers in sh-NC and sh-LDHA PDOs. Representative plots and percentages of CD8⁺GZMB⁺ (E), CD8⁺IFNG⁺ (F) and CD8⁺Ki-67⁺ (G) cells from sh-NC and sh-LDHA groups. Representative histograms and percentages of CD86⁺ (H), CD80⁺ (I), CD163⁺ (J) and CD206⁺ (K) cells from sh-NC and sh-LDHA groups. (L) Workflow of the in vivo experiments. (M) Representative images of subcutaneous PC tumors from mice treated with sh-NC + anti-IgG, sh-NC + anti-PD1, sh-LDHA + anti-IgG and sh-LDHA + anti-PD1. (N) The growth rate (left panel) and weight (right panel) of tumors in response to the treatment of sh-NC + anti-IgG, sh-NC + anti-PD1, sh-LDHA + anti-IgG and sh-LDHA + anti-PD1. (O) IHC staining showing the expression of LDHA, CD8, CD163 and Ki-67 among sh-NC + anti-IgG, sh-NC + anti-PD1, sh-LDHA + anti-IgG and sh-LDHA + anti-PD1 groups (scale bar: 100 μm). (ns, not significant; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001)