In vivo Fluorescence Imaging

The BALB/c nude mice were randomized into 4 groups, normal group (NG), electro-acupuncture normal group (EANG), tumor group (TG), and electro-acupuncture tumor group (EATG), with 7 mice in each group. After the establishment of 4T1 breast cancer models in mice in TG and EATG groups, all mice were intravenously injected with 0.2 mL cy7-paclitaxel (0.1 mg/mL) under anesthesia (17, 18). X-ray can clearly show the prone position for the fluorescence imaging (Supplementary Figure S2). Electro-acupuncture interventions were performed as a single treatment in EANG and EATG group for 20 min after cy7-paclitaxel injection. Fluorescence images and X-ray images were captured in FX-RPO in vivo imaging system (Carestream Health Inc., Rochester, NY) at the time point immediately after the injection, and 0.33, 2.33, 4.33, 6.33, 24.33, and 48.33 h after cy7-paclitaxel injection. The instrumental parameters were set as follows: excitation wavelength, 720 nm; emission wavelength, 790 nm; exposure time, 10 s, f-Stop = 2.50, FOV = 120.0 mm, binning = 2.