Orthotopic Liver Cancer Model

Orthotopic liver cancer models imaging by Micro-CT.
The image illustrates that, following the administration of contrast agent, the liver exhibits an increase in density shadow, appearing as deep (brown) color. The contrast agent hardly be absorbed by the tumor, appears as a low-density shadow. A: Micro-CT images of B-Luc-Hep 3B plus orthotopic model in B-NDG mice were scanned from day 14 after inoculation. The image shows the coronal plane of the mouse abdomen and the volume of the low-density shadow (tumor) of the liver was increased over time. B: Tumor growth curves were recorded by contrast-enhanced CT. C: Body weight change of B-Luc-Hep 3B plus orthotopic model in B-NDG mice.

Evaluation of the efficacy of orthotopic liver cancer model. The B-NDG hIL-15 mice (F, n=10) were inoculated with a volume of 20 μL of cell suspension (5×10⁵), mice were randomly divided into 0.9% saline solution and fluorouracil groups on day 5 after tumor inoculation based on imaging values. The body weight and tumor fluorescence signal of the mice were recorded weekly. Fluorouracil (60 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the growth of B-luc Hep 3B plus orthotopic liver cancer, demonstrating that this model can be well used for preclinical evaluation. Mice were dissected at the end of the experiment, and H&E staining showed that tumors metastasized in the pancreas, stomach and spleen.

Evaluation of the efficacy of orthotopic liver immune reconstitution model. The liver of B-NDG mice was inoculated with a volume of 20 μL of B-luc Hep 3B plus cell suspension (5×10⁵/0.02mL/mice) at day 4 after PBMC inoculation (5×10⁶/0.2mL/mice, i.v.). The mice were randomly divided into two groups according to average imaging signal and hCD45% on day 0, and the body weight and tumor fluorescence signal of the mice were recorded weekly. The results showed that the positive control drug inhibited the growth of orthotopic liver cancer after immune reconstitution, and the body weight decreased slight over time, demonstrating that this model can be well used for preclinical evaluation.