Abstract: Objective To study the feasibility of the establishment of subcutaneous and orthotopic transplantation tumor model of hepatocellar carcinoma cell line with highly metastatic potential (HCCLM3) in nude rat, and its tumor biological characteristics. Methods HCCLM3 cell line was inoculated subcutaneously in nude rat to develop growing tumor. Orthotopic implant model was established by suturing histologically intact human tumor tissue on the liver of nude rat. Body weight of nude rat and diameter of tumor were measured weekly. The animals were then killed 8 weeks post transplantation, the biological characteristics of transplant tumor was observed by gross examination and microscopic examination. Results In subcutaneous transplant model, tumor formation rate was 100% and no lung metastasis. In orthotopic transplant model, tumor formation rate was 90%, metastasis rate of lung was 70%, the rate of mass ascites was 50% and the natural extinctive rate was 0%. Conclusion The orthotopic transplantation tumor model in nude rat is an ideal model for studying the metastatic mechanism and screening anti- tumor drugs for liver cancer, in view of its high successful rate and high spontaneous metastatic rate with no natural extinction.

Key words: Nude rats, Liver cancer, Animal model