[Evaluation of the inhibitory effect of tripeptide tyroservatide on growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma using a hollow fiber assay].

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of tyroservatide (YSV) on growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Methods: In vitro effects of YSV on five human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines were assayed by MTS. In vivo effects of YSV on 5 human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines were assayed by hollow fiber tumor model.

Results: After treatment with YSV at a dose of 0.1 approximately 1.6 mg/ml, the growth of the five cell lines was significantly inhibited in vitro compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05). Especially, YSL remarkably inhibited the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 cells, i.e. the cell growth was inhibited by 63.3% after treatment with YSL at 1.6 mg/ml. The hollow fiber tumor model demonstrated that YSL (320 microg x kg(-1) x d(-1) and 640 microg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) treatment significantly inhibited the in vivo growth of the five cancer cell lines compared with that in the saline control (P < 0.05). YSL showed the highest level of inhibition of human BEL-7402 hepatocellular carcinoma cells, with an inhibitory index of 53.1% at 320 microg x kg(-1) x d(-1).

Conclusion: As a new method, hollow fiber assay may be used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of drugs on different tumor cells in vivo, rapidly, accurately and economically. Our results provide an instruction and evidence for clinical use of YSV.