Fig. 6

BiP inhibition suppressed CSC-stimulated OSCC progression in nude mice. SCC25 cells transfected with scramble shRNA control (SCC25-shV) or BiP shRNA (SCC25-shBiP) (1.5 × 10⁶ cells/mice) were injected subcutaneously into nude mice. Treatment was initiated when the tumor volume reached approximately 100 mm³, and the tumor-bearing mice were given intraperitoneal injections of either PBS or 20 mg/kg CSC every other day for 3 weeks. Body weight and tumor volumes were measured once every week. Following treatment, the mice were sacrificed and the tumor tissues were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for BiP, VEGF and CD31. CD31 was served as a marker of blood vessels. A Timeline of the animal experiments. B Average body weight changes of the mice. C Images of excised tumors (n = 5 per group). D and E Average tumor growth curve and tumor weight of OSCC tumors in the mice with different treatments. F Representative images showing the hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and the immunohistochemical staining of BiP, VEGF and CD31 in tumor tissues. The relative intensity of immunohistochemical staining was determined using ImageJ software. All data are presented as the mean ± SEM. SEM, error bar. *P < 0.05 by one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s post hoc test. Scale bar, 50 μm