Chemotherapy can promote liver metastasis by enhancing metastatic niche formation in mice.

BACKGROUND: Some chemotherapeutic agents have been reported to promote lung metastasis. However, there have been no reports regarding chemotherapy-induced liver metastasis. We hypothesized that chemotherapy might also enhance liver metastasis. The present study aimed to create a chemotherapy-enhanced liver metastasis mouse model and investigate its mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mice were pretreated with cisplatin, vincristine, or saline by intraperitoneal injection. Next, B16F10 mouse melanoma cells and BE(2)-C human neuroblastoma cells were injected into the spleens of C57BL/6 and BALB/c nu/nu mice, respectively, to induce experimental liver metastasis, and the number of liver nodules was determined. We also analyzed the effect of chemotherapy on changes of the liver tissue regarding representative metastasis-promoting factors using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical and histological analysis.

RESULTS: Cisplatin increased the number of nodules by 4.7-fold in the B16F10 liver metastasis model. Vincristine increased the number of nodules by 3.8-fold in the BE(2)-C liver metastasis model. Cisplatin increased mRNA levels of matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and periostin, while vincristine increased MMP-9 and S100A8/9 levels in liver tissues. Cisplatin induced fibrosis, whereas vincristine induced neutrophil recruitment in liver tissues according to histological and immunohistochemical analysis.

CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that cisplatin or vincristine could enhance liver metastasis of mouse melanoma cells or human neuroblastoma cells, respectively. In addition, the mRNA expression of MMP-2 and periostin, or MMP-9 and S100A8/9 is increased by cisplatin or vincristine pretreatment, possibly resulting in fibrosis or neutrophil recruitment, respectively. These niche factors might be associated with increased liver metastasis.