Fig. 1

Antioxidants NAC and GSH promoted mouse HCC formation and growth. a–b DEN (25 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally into 15-day-old C57BL/6 mice, followed by feeding with NAC, GSH and vehicle control for 35 weeks. All the mice developed HCC. White arrows indicate the tumor loci formed in the livers. Scale bars: 1 cm. c The number of tumors formed in the NAC treatment group (left) and the GSH treatment group (right). d A schematic summary of the orthotopic injection model. e Bioluminescent images of C57BL/6 mice subjected to orthotopic liver injection of Hepa1-6 cells and treated with vehicle control, low-dose and high-dose NAC after tumor onset. f Liver tumors dissected from mice with NAC treatment and their tumor masses. g Representative flow cytometry histogram and quantification of ROS levels in vehicle control, low-dose and high-dose NAC treated tumors. h Bioluminescent images of C57BL/6 mice with orthotopic Hepa1-6 cell injection and treatment with vehicle control, low-dose and high-dose GSH after tumor onset. i Liver tumors dissected from mice having GSH treatment and their tumor masses. j Representative flow cytometry histogram and quantification of ROS levels in vehicle control, low-dose and high-dose GSH groups. *P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, and ***P < 0.001 vs. control; One-way ANOVA