FIGURE 5 from Nanoparticle Delivery of Immunostimulatory Alu RNA for Cancer Immunotherapy

<p>Alu-NPs relay antitumor effects. <b>A,</b> Tumor growth curves for B16.F10 tumors treated intratumorally with 100 µL of either PBS or Alu-NPs at a 2 µg RNA dose (<i>n</i> = 4 or greater per treatment group). As indicated on the graph, treatments were administered three times every 3 days. The tumor growth curve for each treatment group was truncated to the first day in which a mouse in any treatment group reached the study endpoint. A two-way ANOVA with Sidak test was used for statistical analysis. *, <i>P</i> < 0.05; ***, <i>P</i> < 0.001; and ****, <i>P</i> < 0.0001. <b>B,</b> Total mouse weight over time for the mice with B16.F10 tumors. A two-way ANOVA with Sidak test was used for statistical analysis. <b>C,</b> Kaplan–Meier survival curve for the mice bearing B16.F10 tumors treated intratumorally with either PBS or Alu-NPs. log-rank (Mantel-C-ox) test was used for statistical analysis. <b>D,</b> Tumor growth curves for B16.F10 tumors treated as described in A with empty D-PDB NPs, edited Alu-NPs, or Alu-NPs. Edited Alu-NPs contain Alu RNA that is edited to be inactive (<i>n</i> = 7 per group). * represents <i>P</i> < 0.05 comparing Alu-NPs to PBS and D-PDB groups. <b>E,</b> Kaplan–Meier survival curve of mice treated with empty D-PDB NPs, edited Alu-NPs, or Alu-NPs. <b>F,</b> T-cell depletion was initiated with intraperitoneal injection of α-CD8 mAb (100 µg per injection) after tumor inoculation and before treatment. Alu-NPs were statistically different from PBS and Alu-NPs with α-CD8 treatment. Tumor growth curves for B16.F10 tumors after treatment as described in A in mice with or without CD8⁺ T-cell depletion (<i>n</i> = 8–9 per group). Experiments in A–E were repeated twice and F was conducted once. * represents <i>P</i> < 0.05 comparing Alu-NPs with PBS and Alu-NPs + α-CD8 treated mice. Figure created with <a href="https://biorender.com" target="_blank">biorender.com</a>.</p>