Geng Zhi-min, Li Qing-hua, Li Wen-zhi, Zheng Jian-bao, Shah Vijay
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yan Ta Xi Lu, Xi'an, 710061, People's Republic of China,
Cell Biochem Biophys. 2014 Sep;70(1):337-47. doi: 10.1007/s12013-014-9918-3.
Tumor cell microenvironment defines cancer development, also in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are believed to be the key contributors to tumor microenvironment in HCC, yet their precise role in cancer progression is still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of human HSCs on progression of HCC using a subcutaneous xenograft nude mouse model. Nude mice were stratified to receive subcutaneous injections of human HCC cell line HepG2 and human HSC line LX-2 (HepG2 + LX-2), HepG2 alone, LX-2 alone, or phosphate-buffered saline. Tumor growth was assessed by measuring tumor size. After 30 days, final tumor size, weight, and histology were assessed. Compared with mice that were only injected HepG2 cells, mice injected with HepG2 + LX-2 exhibited more rapid tumor growth, increased tumor size and weight, higher tumor cell numbers due to increased proliferation and reduced apoptosis, increased fibrotic bands containing LX-2 cells, and increased tumor angiogenesis. In conclusion, HSCs play a significant role in promotion of HCC growth.
肿瘤细胞微环境决定癌症的发展，肝细胞癌（HCC）亦如此。肝星状细胞（HSCs）被认为是HCC肿瘤微环境的关键促成因素，但其在癌症进展中的精确作用仍不清楚。本研究的目的是使用皮下异种移植裸鼠模型来确定人HSCs对HCC进展的影响。将裸鼠分层，分别皮下注射人肝癌细胞系HepG2和人HSC系LX-2（HepG2 + LX-2）、单独的HepG2、单独的LX-2或磷酸盐缓冲盐水。通过测量肿瘤大小评估肿瘤生长。30天后，评估最终肿瘤大小、重量和组织学。与仅注射HepG2细胞的小鼠相比，注射HepG2 + LX-2的小鼠肿瘤生长更快，肿瘤大小和重量增加，由于增殖增加和凋亡减少导致肿瘤细胞数量增多，含有LX-2细胞的纤维化带增加，以及肿瘤血管生成增加。总之，HSCs在促进HCC生长中起重要作用。
