Ivis lumina imaging station

BALB/c nude mice were maintained and bred in a specific-pathogen free (SPF) environment, adhering to standard conditions of temperature (20–26 °C) and humidity (40–70%). They were subjected to a strict 12-h light cycle, with lights on at 08:00 a.m. and off at 08:00 p.m. No limitations were imposed on the sex of the experimental animals involved in this study. Cells expressing firefly luciferase mixed with Matrigel (Corning, NY, USA) were intracranially injected into 5- to 6-week-old female athymic nude mice. The intracranial injection point was at the cerebral cortex, 1 mm prior to coronal suture, 1 mm on the right side of the centreline, and 3 mm below the dura mater. Appropriate medications were provided to reduce pain. To monitor intracranial tumour growth, the animals were intraperitoneally injected with D-luciferin (Yeasen, #40902ES01) and anaesthetized with isoflurane. The images were captured using an In Vivo MS FX pro Imaging System (Bruker, MA, USA) or IVIS Lumina imaging station (Perkin Elmer, MA, USA). The results were reported as the total flux (photons/second). The mice were sacrificed at the indicated time points. The brains were removed, fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, and embedded in paraffin.