Use of bioluminescence imaging to detect enhanced hepatic and systemic tumor growth following partial hepatectomy in mice

Background The impact of partial hepatectomy on intra-hepatic and distant tumor growth is a matter of controversy. Utilizing a highly sensitive tumor imaging strategy, we sought to demonstrate whether this growth-acceleration occurs, and to develop an animal model with which to investigate potential therapeutic strategies. Methods Mice bearing constitutively-active luciferase-expressing tumor cells were subjected to either 70% partial hepatectomy (PH; n = 10) or a sham operation (n = 11). Mice were sacrificed 14 days later and remnant livers (or anatomic equivalents in the control group) and lungs harvested for bioluminescence detection. Results Remnant liver weights were significantly increased in PH compared to equivalent lobes in sham-operated animals (t-test; p = 0.005). Tumor burden as measured by bioluminescence was significantly higher in both liver and lung specimens in the PH group (Wilcoxon's Rank Sum test; p = 0.01 and 0.004, respectively). Conclusions Following PH, enhanced metastatic growth was depicted regionally and systemically with bioluminescence imaging providing an objective measure of tumor burden. This preclinical model can help to identify adjuvant therapies that can influence both tumor growth and liver regeneration.