Original Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2001. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 15, 2001; 7(5): 630-636
Published online Oct 15, 2001. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v7.i5.630
Establishment of cell clones with different metastatic potential from the metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma cell line MHCC97
Yan Li, Zhao-You Tang, Sheng-Long Ye, Yin-Kun Liu, Jie Chen, Qiong Xue, Jun Chen, Dong-Mei Gao, Wei-Hua Bao
Yan Li, Zhao-You Tang, Sheng-Long Ye, Yin-Kun Liu, Jie Chen, Qiong Xue, Jun Chen, Dong-Mei Gao, Wei-Hua Bao, Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University (Former Liver Cancer Institute of Shanghai Medical University), Shanghai 200032, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the State Key Basic Research Program Grant G1998051211, and the Fund for Leading Specialty of Shanghai Metropolitan Bureau of Public Health
Correspondence to: Professor Zhao-You Tang, M.D., Liver Cancer Institute & Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, 136 Yixueyuan Road, Shanghai 200032, China. zytang@scrap.stc.sh.cn
Telephone: +86-21-64037181, Fax: +86-21-64037181
Received: August 31, 2001
Revised: September 16, 2001
Accepted: September 28, 2001
Published online: October 15, 2001
Abstract

AIM: To establish clone cells with different metastatic potential for the study of metastasis-related mechanisms.

METHODS: Cloning procedure was performed on parental hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line MHCC97, and biological characteristics of the target clones selected by in vivo screening were studied.

RESULTS: Two clones with high (MHCC97-H) and low (MHCC97-L) metastatic potential were isolated from the parent cell line. Compared with MHCC97-L, MHCC97-H had smaller cell size (average cell diameter 43 μm vs 50 μm) and faster in vitro and in vivo growth rate (tumor cell doubling time was 34.2 h vs 60.0 h). The main ranges of chromosomes were 55-58 in MHCC97-H and 57-62 in MHCC97-L. Boyden chamber in vitro invasion assay demonstrated that the number of penetrating cells through the artificial basement membrane was (37.5 ± 11.0) cells/field for MHCC97-H vs (17.7 ± 6.3)/field for MHCC97-L. The proportions of cells in G0-G1 phase, S phase, and G2-M phase for MHCC97-H/MHCC97-L were 0.56/0.65, 0.28/0.25 and 0.16/0.10, respectively, as measured by flow cytometry. The serum AFP levels in nude mice 5 wk after orthotopic implantation of tumor tissue were (246 ± 66) μg•L¯¹ for MHCC97-H and (91 ± 66) μg•L¯¹ for MHCC97-L. The pulmonary metastatic rate was 100% (10/10) vs 40% (4/10).

CONCLUSION: Two clones of the same genetic background but with different biological behaviors were established, which could be valuable models for investigation on HCC metastasis.

Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma; clone cells; metastasis