Predicting HCC Response to Multikinase Inhibitors With In Vivo Cirrhotic Mouse Model for Personalized TherapySummary

• Main Authors: Daniel Q. Huang, Mark D. Muthiah, Lei Zhou, Halisah Jumat, Wan Xin Tan, Guan Huei Lee, Seng Gee Lim, Alfred Kow, Glenn Bonney, Iyer Shridhar, Yi Ting Lim, Aileen Wee, Yin Huei Pang, Gwyneth Soon, Pierce Chow, Yock Young Dan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021-01-01
• Series: Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Subjects: Xenograft; Hepatocellular Carcinoma; Multikinase Inhibitors
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352345X20302083

Background & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arises in a cirrhotic, pro-angiogenic microenvironment. Inhibiting angiogenesis is a key mode of action of multikinase inhibitors and current non-cirrhotic models are unable to predict treatment response. We present a novel mouse cirrhotic model of xenotransplant that predicts the natural biology of HCC and allows personalized therapy. Methods: Cirrhosis was induced in NOD Scid gamma mice with 4 months of thioacetamide administration. Patient derived xenografts (PDXs) were created by transplant of human HCC subcutaneously into non-cirrhotic mice and intra-hepatically into both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic mice. The applicability of cirrhotic PDXs for drug testing was tested with 16 days of either sorafenib or lenvatinib. Treatment response was evaluated by MRI. Results: 8 out of 19 (42%) human HCC engrafted in the cirrhotic model compared with only 3 out of 19 (16%) that engrafted in the subcutaneous non-cirrhotic model. Tumor vasculature was preserved in the cirrhotic model but was diminished in the non-cirrhotic models. Metastasis developed in 3 cirrhotic PDX lines and was associated with early HCC recurrence in all 3 corresponding patients (100%), compared with only 5 out of 16 (31%) of the other PDX lines, P = .027. The cirrhotic model was able to predict response and non-response to lenvatinib and sorafenib respectively in the corresponding patients. Response to lenvatinib in the cirrhotic PDX was associated with reduction in CD34, VEGFR2 and CLEC4G immunofluorescence area and intensity (all P ≤ .03). Conclusions: A clinically relevant cirrhotic PDX model preserves tumor angiogenesis and allows prediction of response to multikinase inhibitors for personalized therapy.