IFNα-Expressing Amniotic Fluid-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Migrate to and Suppress HeLa Cell-Derived Tumors in a Mouse Model

Figure 4

Effects of IFNα-AF-MSCs and AF-MSCs on tumor growth in a mouse model. (a) Comparison of the growth of tumors engrafted with different MSCs for up to 36 days after the inoculation of HeLa cells. The tumors were measured based on their size under the skin. The MSC injection time points are indicated by arrows. Error bars, standard deviation. (b, c) Comparison of the tumor volume from mice sacrificed on day 32 (7 days after the last injection of MSCs). Error bars, standard deviation. HeLa cells (1 × 10⁷/ml) were injected subcutaneously into nude mice (day 0). After 10 days, when the tumors were palpable, 1 × 10⁶/ml AF-MSCs () or IFNα-AF-MSCs () were administered i.v. into the tail vein of the tumor-bearing mice every seven days. This procedure was performed three times. Ten mice that were not administered with MSCs were designated as the control group. Some mice ( in the control group and in the other three groups) were sacrificed seven days after the last injection of stem cells for tumor collection. (d) Secreted IFNα was detected by immunohistochemistry in tumor tissue in mice receiving IFNα-AF-MSCs (), and very little IFNα was detected in the liver, none in the spleen, kidney, or lung. No IFNα was found in the mice of AF-MSCs group (). Tissues were collected on day 7 after the last injection of IFNα-AF-MSCs () or AF-MSCs ().

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