Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2001. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 15, 2001; 7(5): 597-601
Published online Oct 15, 2001. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v7.i5.597
Metastatic human hepatocellular carcinoma models in nude mice and cell line with metastatic potential
Zhao-You Tang, Fan-Xian Sun, Jian Tian, Sheng-Long Ye, Yin-Kun Liu, Kang-Da Liu, Qiong Xue, Jie Chen, Jing-Lin Xia, Lun-Xiu Qin, Hui-Chuan Sun, Lu Wang, Jian Zhou, Yan Li, Zeng-Chen Ma, Xin-Da Zhou, Zhi-Quan Wu, Zhi-Ying Lin, Bing-Hui Yang
Zhao-You Tang, Fan-Xian Sun, Jian Tian, Sheng-Long Ye, Yin-Kun Liu, Kang-Da Liu, Qiong Xue, Jie Chen, Jing-Lin Xia, Lun-Xiu Qin, Hui-Chuan Sun, Lu Wang, Jian Zhou, Yan Li, Zeng-Chen Ma, Xin-Da Zhou, Zhi-Quan Wu, Zhi-Ying Lin, Bing-Hui Yang, Liver Cancer Institute of Fudan University and Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai 200032, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Zhao-You Tang, M.D., Professor of Surgery, Chairman, Liver Cancer Institute of Fudan University (previous Liver Cancer Institute of Shanghai Medical University) 136 Yixueyuan Road, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai 200032, China. zytang@srcap.stc.sh.cn
Telephone: +86-21-64037181, Fax: +86-21-64037181
Received: August 9, 2001
Revised: September 6, 2001
Accepted: September 25, 2001
Published online: October 15, 2001
Abstract

Metastatic human HCC model is needed for the studies on mechanism and interven tion of metastatic recurrence. By using orthotopic implantation of histologically intact tissues of 30 surgical specimens, a patient-like metastatic model of hu man HCC in nude mice (LCI-D20) and a low metastatic model of human HCC in nude mice (LCI-D35) have been established. All mice with transplanted LCI-D20 tumors exhibited extremely high metastatic ability including spontaneous metasta sis to liver, lungs, lymph nodes and peritoneal seeding. Remarkable difference was also found in expression of some of the invasiveness related genes and growth factors between the LCI-D20 and LCI-D35 tumors. PAI-1 increased gradually following tumor progression in LCI-D20 model, and correlated with tumor size and AFP level. Phasic expression of tissue intercellular adhesio nmolecule-1 in this model was also observed. Using corneal micropocket model, it was demonstrated that the vascular response induced by LCI-D20 tumor was stronger than that induced by LCI-D35 tumor. Similar report on metastatic human HCC model in nude mice and human HCC cell line with metastatic potential was rarely found in the literature. This LCI-D20 model has been widely used for the studies on intervention of metastasis, including anti-angiogenesis, antisense approach, metallopro teinase inhibitor, differentiation inducer, etc. It is concluded that the establ ishment of metastatic human HCC model in nude mice and human HCC cell line with metastatic potential will provide important models for the in vivo and in vitro study of HCC invasiveness, angiogenesis as well as intervention of HCC recurrence.

Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, metastasis, metastatic model, nude mice, cell line, experimental intervention, angiogenesis