Blood flow velocity is reduced in a tumor micro-dissemination in the visceral pleura in anesthetized open-chest rat lung.
BACKGROUND
Recently we developed a method to observe pulmonary micrometastasis by labeling cancer cells with green fluorescent protein (GFP). We applied the method for observation of micro-dissemination on the visceral pleura.


METHODS
RCN9 rat colon cancer cells labeled with GFP were injected into the pleural cavity of Fischer F344 rats. Six weeks after injection, the chest wall was resected under general anesthesia and the lung surface was observed by real-time confocal laser-scanning microscopy. Blood flow was visualized by intravenous injection of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled red blood cells, by which blood flow velocity was measured.


RESULTS
Dissemination was created in 4 out of 5 rats. Fifteen sites of micro-dissemination were observed (mean diameter, 35.8+/-13.3 microm). Blood flow velocity was 114.1+/-26.1 microm/s in the tumor tissue and 183.4+/-35.0 microm/s out of the tumor tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
We were able to observe pleural micro-dissemination. Blood flow velocity was significantly lower in the tumor tissue.
Department of Respiratory Surgery, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan. ougan888@hotmail.com
Yan
Y
Wang
Kesato
K
Iguchi
Hiromichi
H
Ito
Keiko
K
Ookawa
Naohiro
N
Kobayashi
Ryota
R
Nakamura
Yukinobu
Y
Goto
Mitsuaki
M
Sakai
Shigemi
S
Ishikawa
Masataka
M
Onizuka
D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008833:Microcirculation; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D010587:Phagocytosis; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012039:Regional Blood Flow
D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins