Figure 6

Immunization with the B2L gene reduces tumor growth in a murine model of aggressive melanoma. Two groups of 20 C57BL/6 mice were injected s.c. with 5 × 10⁴ B16-F10 cells. Twenty-four hours later, the test group (●) was biolistically administered pCMVi-B2L to both sides of both ear pinnae (4 shots of 0.5 μg totaling 2 μg per mouse). The control group (O) was administered the same dose of empty vector (pCMVi). Animals were monitored daily; on day 6, tumors were palpable and these were measured in triplicate by two individuals. Tumor growth was similarly measured and recorded on days 8, 10, and 13. Average tumor sizes within each group are plotted; error bars represent SDs from the arithmetic mean. Survival curves for the same mice are displayed as an inset with a p value derived to statistically compare control and B2L-immunized groups (Prism4 software, Graphpad, Inc.).