title: Preliminary results of a non-invasive method to measure tumor size and distributionin vivo.
abstract: Molecular imaging of reporter gene expression in cancer cells can provide rapid, sensitive and non-invasive monitoring of tumor behavior. The aim of the present study was to establish a non-invasive method to measure tumor size and distributionin vivo. Briefly, H-Ras-transformed cells were stably transfected with a plasmid containing the luciferase gene (Luc), designated as Ras/Luc. Ras/Luc cells were injected into the back or tail vein of nude BALB/cAnN-Foxn1nu/CrlNarl mice (age, 6-8 weeks). Mice were subsequently administered D-luciferin via intra-peritoneal injection, prior to image acquisition. Photons emitted from the mice were detected via an imaging system. Tumor size and distributionin vivowere quantified as photons/second. Andrographolide has demonstrated radiosensitization in previousin vitroandin vivostudies. In the present study, the potential effects of andrographolide cancer metastasis were investigated further, using an imaging system. Preliminary results of andrographolide combined with radiation indicated the inhibition of cancer metastasis. The present mechanistic study of andrographolide-mediated effects demonstrated that activated extracellular signal regulated kinase protein and H2O2production levels were significantly increased by andrographolide. In summary, the present study established a non-invasive method to measure tumor size and distributionin vivoand indicated that andrographolide may be a potential therapeutic strategy in cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Shu-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhongxing Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei 10341, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Chien-An
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Ling-Chien
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Chiayi 62247, Taiwan, R.O.C.; School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualian 97061, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Moon-Sing
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Chiayi 62247, Taiwan, R.O.C.; School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualian 97061, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Wen-Yen
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Chiayi 62247, Taiwan, R.O.C.; School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualian 97061, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Hon-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualian 97061, Taiwan, R.O.C.; Department of Hematological Oncology, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Chiayi 62247, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Yu-Chieh
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualian 97061, Taiwan, R.O.C.; Department of Otolaryngology, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Chiayi 62247, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Ching-Chih
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Chiayi 62247, Taiwan, R.O.C.; School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualian 97061, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Shih-Kai
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Hung
keywords: Ras; andrographolide; in vivo imaging system; metastasis