Exosome-based strategy against colon cancer using small interfering RNA-loaded vesicles targeting soluble a proliferation-inducing ligand

Figure 6 Histological analysis of excised tumor tissues in mouse colorectal cancer xenograft model. A: Hematoxylin and eosin staining, showing that the small interfering peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase NIMA-interacting 1 RNA-loaded soluble a proliferation-inducing ligand-targeted exosome (tEx[p]) group exhibited a significantly reduced tumor cell density, indicating a pronounced effect on tumor growth suppression; B: Immunohistochemical analysis of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related markers. The tEx[p] group showed increased immunoreactivity of the epithelial marker E-cadherin (left), while decreasing immunoreactivity of the mesenchymal marker Snail (right), underscoring its efficacy in inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in the colon cancer tissues. Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation of three independent experiments. Percentages of immunoreactive areas were measured using NIH ImageJ and expressed as relative values to those in control tissues. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01. Ex: Exosome.