Induction of the EPR effect in a mouse model of lung metastasis

Abstract

The Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) effect is considered to be a landmark principle in systemic tumor-targeting chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is used for the treatment of lung metastasis in clinics. However, the EPR effect in the lung metastasis has not been fully investigated. In this study, we evaluate the EPR effect in a mouse model of lung metastasis.Luciferase expressing tumor cells were inoculated into MXH10/Mo/lpr mice to induce lung metastasis. Lung metastasis was activated by dissecting the subiliac lymph node. The EPR effect in the metastatic lung was quantified by accumulation of intravenously injected ICG liposomes. Luciferase activity as well as fluorescence intensity were measured using bioluminescence and biofluorescence imaging. The harvested tissues were analyzed by HE and anti-CD31 staining. Herein, we found that no ICG liposome accumulation was detected in the metastatic lung and the EPR effect was not observed in the mouse model of lung metastasis.