Figure 4

Effect of bicarbonate, DCA, and DB on and survival. MDA-MB-231 cells were stably transfected to express neomycin-resistant pcDNA3/EGFP (16). MDA-MB-231/eGFP cells (5 × 10⁶) were injected into inguinal mammary fat pads of animals that were randomized into bicarbonate, DCA, DB, and control groups (n = 16 per group) 6 days post inoculation. Tumors were allowed to grow for 5 to 6 wk (to a volume of approximately 500 mm³), at which time they were surgically removed. After survival surgeries, the disease model was allowed to progress until tumor burdens or morbidity criteria warranted the mice to be euthanized. The survival experiment proceeded to day 120. At time of sacrifice, mice were necropsied by examination with a fluorescence dissecting scope. Data from this experiment are plotted as Kaplan-Meier survival curves (A) bicarbonate (p = 0.03), (B) DCA (p = 0.2), and (C) DB (p = 0.01). Treated mice are represented as solid lines compared to the untreated group represented as a dashed line. The difference in the survival curve for the treated versus untreated animals was evaluated by log-rank test.