A combination of cisplatin-eluting gelatin microspheres and flavopiridol enhances anti-tumour effects in a rabbit VX2 liver tumour model

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the combination of cisplatin-eluting gelatin microspheres (GMSs) and flavopiridol enhances anti-tumour effects in a rabbit VX2 liver tumour model. Tumour-bearing rabbits (n = 21) were divided into five groups and infused from the proper hepatic artery. Group 1 (n = 5) received cisplatin-eluting GMSs (1 mg kg⁻¹) and flavopiridol (3 mg kg⁻¹), group 2 (n = 5) cisplatin-eluting GMSs alone (1 mg kg⁻¹), Group 3 (n = 5) flavopiridol (3 mg kg⁻¹), Group 4 (n = 3) GMSs alone (1 mg kg⁻¹), and Group 5 (n = 3) was the control group receiving physiological saline (1 ml kg⁻¹). On days 0 and 7 after procedures the liver tumour volume was measured using a horizontal open MRI system and the relative tumour volume growth rates for 7 days after treatment were calculated. On T₁ weighted images, the tumours were visualised as circular, low-intensity areas just below the liver surface. After treatment, the signals remained similar. The relative tumour volume growth rate for 7 days after treatment was 54.2±22.4% in Group 1, 134.1±40.1% in Group 2,166.7±48.1% in Group 3, 341.8±8.6% in Group 4 and 583.1±46.9% in Group 5; the growth rate was significantly lower in Group 1 than the other groups (p<0.05). We concluded that in our rabbit model of liver tumours the combination of cisplatin-eluting GMSs and flavopiridol was effective.