GIFT15 possesses NK/NKT depleting and proangiogenic properties. (A) GIFT15 effect on tumor growth in syngeneic immunocompetent C57Bl/6 mice. C57Bl/6 mice (n = 6) were injected with 106 live cytokine-secreting B16F0 cells and tumor volume was monitored over time (P < .05 between B16-GIFT15 and B16-GFP/IL-15/GMCSF/IL-15 + GMCSF). Results are shown as mean tumor volume ± standard error of the mean (SEM). (B) Immune infiltrate analysis. Single cell suspensions were generated from the enzymatic dissociation of matrix embedded B16F0 cells retrieved from mice that were killed 2 weeks after transplantation and analyzed by flow cytometry (P < .04 between experimental groups and B16-GFP). Results are shown as mean of 6 replicates ± SED. (C) GIFT15 effect on tumor growth in NOD-SCID mice. NOD-SCID mice (n = 5) were injected with 106 live B16-GFP or GIFT15 cells, and tumor volume was assessed over time (P < .02 between B16-GIFT15 and B16-GFP). Results are shown as mean tumor volume ± SED. (D) Blood vessel density in tumors grown in NOD-SCID mice. Tumors removed from NOD-SCID mice that had been killed (n = 5) were paraffin-embedded, prepared on slides, and then stained against VWF. Blood vessel density was calculated by dividing total amount of blood vessels by the tumor's surface area (mm2) (P < .05 between B16-GIFT15 and B16-GFP). Results are shown as mean blood vessel density ± SED.
