Interleukin-18 Anti-hepatocellular Carcinoma In Nude Mice Transplanted Mechanism

Objective:To observe and explore the antitumor effects of interleukin-18(IL-18) and its possible mechanisms by establishing subcutaneous transplantation tumor model of hepatoma in BALB/c nude mice.Methods:To HepG2 cells were inoculated subcutaneously in nude mice to form a nude human hepatocellular carcinoma,the tumor-bearing nude mice with different doses separately block to intraperitoneal injection of IL-18 treatment,observation of tumor growth rate and tumor size changes in nude mice 4 weeks after the death,dedicated tumor, liver specimens,sections of HE staining and immunohistochemical detection of tumor cell necrosis,and Caspase-3 expression,RT-PCR detection of tumor cells the expression of Caspase-3Results:5.0×10~6 in the HepG2 cells were inoculated subcutaneously in nude mice can be successfully set up nude model,tumorigenicity was 100%;2.Intraperitoneal injection of IL-18 on liver cancer growth in nude there is significant inhibition of tumor weight, volume,such as the relative size of the control group were lower than the target,with statistical significance(P＜0.05);3.IL-18 treatment at dose of 0.75μg/only,1.00μg/ only,1.25μg/only when able to effectively inhibit the growth of nude mice,three different dose groups can be seen significant differences in efficacy;4.Treatment group with the control group showed that immunohistochemical Caspase-3 expression in each group were positive,there is a clear distinction;and in semi-quantitative RT-PCR showed expression in the treatment group to the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion:1.Hepatoma cell line HepG2 using the set up of liver cancer in nude nude model,can be used to study IL-18 treatment of liver cancer effects and mechanisms of action,are a better mechanism for immune therapy of liver cancer research and clinical studies of animal models;2.IL-18 can effectively inhibit the growth of liver cancer,IL-18 at 0.75μg/only,1.00μg/only,1.25μg/only when able to effectively inhibit the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma in nude mice;3.IL-18 can increase the expression of Caspase-3 induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells in order to achieve anti-tumor effect.