Abstract:

Objective  To investigate the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) pneumoperitoneum environment on the biological behavior and chemotherapy drug sensitivity of human ovarian carcinoma cell (SKOV3) xenografts in nude mice. Method  sSKOV3 cells were exposed to simulated laparoscopic CO2 pneumoperitoneum environment at 12 mmHg CO2 pressure for 1h(a group)or 3h(b group). Cells in the control group (c group) were cultured in a standard CO2 incubator. The paired nude mice were randomly divided into the A, B, and C  groups (n=10 pairs). Cell suspensions were inoculated into the left scapular subcutaeous of nude mice in each group. After the tumors had formed apparently three days later, nude mice(10 pairs) were randomly divided into two groups again.A1, B1, and C1（DDP group）were intraperitoneally injected cisplatin（5mg/kg, 0.5mL, qw×3）; A2, B2, and C2（nontreatment groups）were intraperitoneally injected saline（0.5mL, qw×3）. All nude mice were sacrificed by dislocation on the following day of drug withdrawal. Then tumor volume and weight were measured.  Expressions of adhesion molecule (CD44v6) and nonmetastasis gene（nm23-H1）in xenograft tumors were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. Results  ①The proliferation rate of xenograft tumors in the CO2 treated groups was higher than that in the control group (P＜0.01), and that treated for 3 hours was higher than for 1 hour (P＜0.01). ②Tumor sensitivity to DDP in the CO2 treated groups decreased compared with the control group (P＜0.01).  ③There was no significant difference between the groups in expression of CD44v6 and nm23H1 (P＞0.05). Conclusion  Carbon dioxide promotes the proliferation of human ovarian carcinoma cell (SKOV3) xenografts in BALB/c nude mice, decreases tumor sensitivity to DDP and has no effects on tumor metastasis. 

Key words: Ovarian neoplasms; Carbon Dioxide; Xenograft; Mice, nude