Effect of AMP peptide and radiation treatment in an orthotopic model of HNC cancer in the tongue assessed using IVIS.

<p>An orthotopic model of HNC cancer was established by inoculating bioluminescent SCC-25-LUC cells into the anterior tongue of nude mice. Tumor size in different groups was assessed and compared on Days 5 and 8 as well as Days 10 and 14 using IVIS after injection of D-luciferin. Mice in Group 1 and Group 3 were not irradiated, whereas animals in Groups 2 and 4 received 30 Gy on Day 0 of the study. Treatment with PBS (Group 2) or AMP peptide (Group 4) was administered by injection s. c. once daily. In the irradiated mice, treatment with AMP peptide was associated with much lower IVIS radiance compared to treatment with PBS, indicating that AMP peptide reduced tumor growth. Representative IVIS images of tongue tumors from 32 mice are shown.