Fig. 5
The in vivo mechanism of TCPT in inducing cell death and metabolic reprogramming. A The scheme of establishing xenograft model flow and TCPT administration. B Record of individual body weight of each group. C Record of tumor volume of each group. D The sacrificial nude mice, stripped tumors and tumor weight of each group (solvent group, low dose group and high dose group) at experimental endpoint. E HE staining display the typical morphological feature in each group. White arrowhead indicates character of SCLC xenograft tumor without TCPT treatment. White arrows illustrate the structure collapse and central necrosis in tumor tissues induced by TCPT treatment. F Detection of proliferative index using Ki-67 staining and death index using TUNEL assay among three groups. DAPI staining is used as cell count reference, the positive of Ki-67 or TUNEL staining demonstrates the proliferative activity and death situation respectively in each group. G Protein expression of signaling protein among three groups. H Glucose content of tumors. I activity of HK in each xenograft tumor among three groups. J, K The activity of LDH and content of its final products LA in tumor tissue in each group. L The activity of PDH in each tumor tissues. M Level of intra-tumorous ATP in each xenograft tissues. N the changes of protein expression of rate-limiting enzymes among solvent group and 2 TCPT treating groups. *, ** vs blank group, present P value < 0.05 and 0.01 respectively