Fig. 2

Ivermectin enhances the anti-tumor effect of vincristine in solid tumor xenografts. The nude mice were injected subcutaneously with 1×10⁷ HCT-8 cells, which are sensitive or resistant to vincristine (VCR). When the tumor reached to about 100 mm³, the mice were treated with ivermectin (IVM) (2 mg/kg) and/or VCR (0.2 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection daily for 27 days. a Changes of tumor volumes from day 0 to day 27; b-d Volumes (b), weights (c) and images (d) of the tumors on day 27. Mice treated with vehicle serve as control. The weights and volumes of the tumors in the control xenografts were 1.97 ± 0.12 g and 2794.5 ± 384.8 mm³ (in S group) vs 1.12 ± 0.11 g and 1654.8 ± 342.6 mm³ (in R group), respectively. Abbreviations: CTL, control; IVM, ivermectin; VCR, vincristine; S, vincristine-sensitive HCT-8 xenograft; R, vincristine-resistant HCT-8 xenograft. Data in a-c represent the mean ± SD (n = 6 mice each group). Statistical significances were determined using one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s test. ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01, compared with the respective vehicle controls (blue columns/lines); ^#P < 0.05, compared with the corresponding columns with the same color in the S group; ^&P < 0.05, ^&&P < 0.01, comparison between the two columns or lines