In vivo Antitumor Efficacy

Cervical cancer cells (1.25×10⁷) of SiHa were inoculated subcutaneously onto the hips of 6-week-old female BALB/c-nude mice. When the tumor size reached 30–100mm³, mice were randomly divided into six groups (n=6). Then PBS, FREE, T-PTX-NP, T-PT-NP, DNP and TDNP were administered intravenously at an equivalent dose of 8 mg/kg PTX and 4 mg/kg PT at 2-day intervals for 4 times. The body weight and tumor size were monitored every other day until the mice died or tumor diameter reached 1.5 cm. Tumor volume was calculated by the formula, where V, L and W represented the volume, length and width of the tumor, respectively. Tumors and the main organs (heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney) were obtained and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) for histopathological analysis. At the same time, tumor sections were obtained for immunohistochemistry staining to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins.