Fig. 6
Flt3L augments DEXP&A&N’s antitumor potency in orthotopic HCC mice. a Diagram for dosing regimen of DEXP&A&N and Flt3L in orthotopic HCC mice. Flt3L was administered subcutaneously to day-3 orthotopic HCC mice at the dose of 800 μg /kg/day for 8 days consecutively and DEXP&A&N (80 μg/mouse) were intravenously administered on day 7 after tumor implantation three times weekly. b Dynamic monitoring of tumor growth in orthotopic HCC mice treated with DEXP&A&N or DEXP&A&N and Flt3L with MRI at different time points. c Measurement of tumor volume for each individual mouse treated with PBS, DEXP&A&N or DEXP&A&N and Flt3L (n = 6). One-way ANOVA on ranks test was used for day 21, 28 and 42; one-way ANOVA post hoc Student–Newman–Keuls test was used for day 14. TF means tumor-free. d Quantitative analysis of CD8+ T cells and ratio of CD8+ to CD4+ T cells in blood of orthotopic HCC mice treated with PBS (n = 4), DEXP&A&N or DEXP&A&N and Flt3L (n = 6) at day 42 after tumor implantation (One-way ANOVA on ranks). Flow cytometric and quantitative analysis of AFP+ tetramer (e) and GPC3+ tetramer (f) T cells in blood of orthotopic HCC mice treated with PBS (n = 4), DEXP&A&N or DEXP&A&N and Flt3L (n = 6) at day 42 after tumor implantation (one-way ANOVA post hoc Student–Newman–Keuls test). g Assessment of IFN-γ and TGF-β in blood of orthotopic HCC mice treated with PBS (n = 4), DEXP&A&N or DEXP&A&N and Flt3L (n = 6) at day 42 after tumor implantation (one-way ANOVA post hoc Student–Newman–Keuls test). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.001; n.s, not significant