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Updated: Apr 24, 2026
Non-Invasive PET/MR Imaging in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Published on: August 31, 2022
Design and development of a robotized system coupled to µCT imaging for intratumoral drug evaluation in a HCC mouse
Gaétan Bour1, Fernand Martel2, Laurent Goffin3
1Institut de Recherche contre les Cancers de l'Appareil Digestif (IRCAD), Strasbourg, France.
Abstract:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancer related deaths worldwide. One of the main challenges in cancer treatment is drug delivery to target cancer cells specifically. Preclinical evaluation of intratumoral drugs in orthotopic liver cancer mouse models is difficult, as percutaneous injection hardly can be precisely performed manually. In the present study we have characterized a hepatoma model developing a single tumor nodule by implantation of Hep55.1C cells in the liver of syngeneic C57BL/6J mice. Tumor evolution was followed up by µCT imaging, and at the histological and molecular levels. This orthotopic, poorly differentiated mouse HCC model expressing fibrosis, inflammation and cancer markers was used to assess the efficacy of drugs. We took advantage of the high precision of a previously developed robotized system for automated, image-guided intratumoral needle insertion, to administer every week in the tumor of the Hep55.1C mouse model. A significant tumor growth inhibition was observed using our robotized system, whereas manual intraperitoneal administration had no effect, by comparison to untreated control mice.
Insights
A novel robotized system precisely delivers drugs directly into liver cancer tumors in mice, significantly inhibiting growth. Manual drug delivery methods proved ineffective in this preclinical hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Medical Robotics
- Preclinical Drug Development
Background:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer death globally.
- Effective targeted drug delivery to liver cancer cells remains a significant challenge.
- Precisely administering intratumoral drugs in preclinical orthotopic liver cancer models is difficult with manual techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize a novel orthotopic mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for preclinical drug evaluation.
- To assess the efficacy of intratumoral drug delivery using a robotized system in this HCC model.
- To compare the robotized system's efficacy against manual drug administration and untreated controls.
Main Methods:
- Development and characterization of a single-nodule orthotopic HCC mouse model using Hep55.1C cells in C57BL/6J mice.
- Tumor evolution monitoring via micro-CT imaging, histology, and molecular analysis.
- Weekly intratumoral drug administration using a precise, image-guided robotized needle insertion system.
Main Results:
- The robotized system enabled accurate, automated intratumoral needle insertion for drug delivery.
- Significant inhibition of tumor growth was observed in mice treated with the robotized system.
- Manual intraperitoneal drug administration showed no significant effect on tumor growth compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- The characterized Hep55.1C mouse HCC model is suitable for preclinical drug efficacy studies.
- The robotized system offers a precise and effective method for intratumoral drug delivery in preclinical liver cancer research.
- This automated approach significantly improves drug delivery accuracy and therapeutic outcomes in orthotopic HCC models.
