Fig. 5

Phenotypic sorted cancer cells show commensal interactions leading to enhanced metastasis in vivo. A Schematic of orthotopic breast cancer spontaneous metastasis model where mice are injected with either MDA⁺, MDA⁻, or 1:1 MDA⁺:MDA⁻ (MDA^MIX) cells, tumors are allowed to grow and then surgically removed, and metastasis is measured after collection of lung and liver tissues. B Average primary tumor volume at surgical removal (4 wks post-injection). C Representative GFP or mCherry staining of lungs from MDA⁺, MDA⁻, and MDA^MIX-injected mice at study endpoint. D Average relative lung area covered by metastasis as evidenced by GFP and/or mCherry expression in MDA⁺ and MDA⁻ subpopulations. E Representative GFP or mCherry staining of livers from MDA⁺, MDA⁻, and MDA^MIX-injected mice at study endpoint. F Average relative liver area covered by metastasis as evidenced by GFP and/or mCherry expression in MDA⁺ and MDA⁻ subpopulations. *p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001, n.s. = not significant