Fig. 7

In vivo targeted therapy with pcDNA-loaded ILp. a In vivo targeted gene transfection with pcDNA3.1-EGFP-loaded Lp and ILp. Confocal imaging was obtained for Lp after four injection doses at day 14, and for ILp after two doses at day 6 or four doses at day 14 (DAPI/nuclei, blue; EGFP, green). b ILp-entrapped pcDNA3.1-CSF1-mES can mediate effective tumor-targeted therapy in vivo. To establish subcutaneous (s.c.) tumors, 5 × 10⁶ MDA-MB-231 cells in 0.2 mL of PBS were injected into the mammary fat pad of NOD/SCID mice. The mice were randomly allocated to four groups (n = 7), which were intravenously (i.v.) treated with 150 μL of either PBS, pcDNA (naked pcDNA3.1-CSF1-mES), antibody (105 μg of anti-CD105 mAb, an amount equal to that in ILp), or ILp/pcDNA. The quantity of pcDNA3.1-CSF1-mES corresponded to 50 μg DNA diluted with PBS solution. The animals were treated four times on days 1, 5, 9, and 13 after tumor establishment. Tumor size was measured by Vernier calipers at 3-day intervals after inoculation with tumor cells. The tumor volume was calculated according to the formula d1 × (d2)² × 0.5, where d1 is the largest diameter and d2 is the perpendicular diameter. The mice were monitored daily for survival. c Ex vivo tumor photos and weights. After the last measurement, tumors from the four groups were stripped, imaged, and weighted