Fig. 3

Nitazoxanide treatment inhibits osteolytic bone metastasis of prostate cancer in a mouse model. a Diagram of the experiment timeline. Tumor cells were allowed to colonize and grow for 7 days after injection via the caudal artery and before NTZ was administered via intragastric injection (six mice per group). b Bioluminescence images (left) and intensities (right) of mice after treatments with NTZ or vehicle for 28 days. n = 12 legs/group. c Representative micro-CT images of femurs and tibias (left) and micro-CT photomicrographs of femurs (X-Z at right). The white arrow points to the osteolysis formed in the femur metaphysis, which disappeared after NTZ treatment. d Quantifications of several parameters for bone microstructure, including bone volume per tissue volume (BV/TV, n = 6 femurs for each group), trabecular number (Tb.N, n = 6 femurs for each group), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp, n = 6 femurs in control group, n = 5 femurs in NTZ group), and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th, n = 4 femurs in control group, n = 5 femurs in NTZ group). e H&E staining of bone sections showing areas of tumor cells (T), bone (B), and bone marrow (BM) (left). The tumor area to the bone area ratio was calculated for each mouse and presented in the plot at right. Scale bar in H&E images, 100 μm. n = 4 femurs in control group, n = 5 femurs in NTZ group. f Body weights of mice at different time points after treatment with NTZ or vehicle. Data are presented as mean ± SD. **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001; as estimated by Student’s t-test. NTZ, nitazoxanide