Xiaotan Sanjie decoction attenuates tumor angiogenesis by manipulating Notch-1-regulated proliferation of gastric cancer stem-like cells

Figure 4 Xiaotan Sanjie decoction inhibits tumor weight and angiogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. A: Tumor weight after eight consecutive weeks of treatment (n = 6 in each group). Control CD44⁺ group had larger tumors than control CD44- group (Student’s t-test). Treatment with Xiaotan Sanjie (XTSJ) decoction inhibited tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner in gastric cancer stem-like cell transplanted mice (one-way ANOVA, followed by the Bonferroni test); B: Comparison of the microvessel density (MVD) in different groups. The control CD44⁺ mice showed higher MVD than the control CD44- mice (n = 6, P < 0.05), and XTSJ decoction reduced the MVD in a dose-dependent manner. Statistically significant differences in MVD could be detected in the medium- and high-dose CD44⁺ groups (Nonparametric tests); C: Immunohistochemical (IHC) results of the MVD. The MVD was defined as a discrete CD34-positive endothelial cell aggregate, with or without definable lumina. (original magnification × 400, positive areas are indicated by black arrows). ^aP < 0.05 vs CD44⁺ group; ^cP < 0.05 vs CD44^- group.