[Isolation and characterization of human colorectal cancer cell subline with unique metastatic potential in the liver].

Objective: To isolate a subclone from human colorectal cancer cell line SW480 with unique metastatic potential in the liver.
Methods: Human colorectal cancer cells SW480 were implanted into BALB/c nude mice, and the hepatic metastatic lesions were harvested, and the tumor tissue blocks were re-implantated into nude mice for a second round of in vivo selection. The same procedure was repeated 5 times until a new cell subline, designated as SW480/M5, was established, whose biological behaviors was investigated both in vivo and in vitro.
Results: After orthotopic implantation of the tumor tissue into the colon of nude mouse for 28 days, widespread loco-regional and distant metastases occurred in mice inoculated with SW480 tissue, and those inoculated with SW480/M5 tissue had hepatic metastasis only. Compared with the parental cells, SW480/M5 cells were characterized by greater clonality, reproductive activity, motor ability, invasiveness, and weaker adhesive capacity to fibronectin.
Conclusion: A human colorectal cancer cell subline with unique liver metastatic potential has been established by in vivo selection to serve as a new model for study ing colorectal cancer metastasis.