At present, modeling methods of colorectal cancer with liver metastases have significant limitations. Here, we established orthotopic and ectopic hepatic metastases models using six colorectal cancer cell lines to choose an ideal animal model for studying colorectal cancer growth and liver metastases. Luciferin-expressing six colorectal cancer cell lines were used to induce animal models of colorectal cancer with liver metastases by intra-splenic injection or implantation of tumor tissue in the caecum. Tumors growth and metastatic events were observed by bioluminescence imaging. In orthotopic transplantation group, six cell lines all had taken rates of 100% for orthotopic tumors but showed variations in rates of growth. HCT-116 cell developed the 50% liver metastases. However, the ectopic transplantation group achieved higher liver metastatic rate, with the highest frequencies for HCT116 cell (90%) and SW620 cell (77.8%). Furthermore, the time to develop liver metastases and survival rates of bearing-tumor mice were shorter than orthotopic transplantation group. Additionally, six colorectal cancer cell lines resulted in more lymph node metastases in orthotopic transplantation group, whereas produced widespread peritoneal seeding in ectopic transplantation group. Bioluminescence imaging and pathological findings confirmed the growth and metastatic characteristics of tumors. Two animal models of colorectal cancer using six cell lines showed highly variations in rates of growth, survival rates of bearing-tumor mice and frequencies of metastases. The study provides useful information for the establishment of clinically relevant colorectal cancer with liver metastases animal models.

目前，具有肝转移的大肠癌的建模方法具有很大的局限性。在这里，我们使用六个结直肠癌细胞系建立了原位和异位肝转移模型，以选择理想的动物模型来研究结直肠癌的生长和肝转移。表达荧光素的六种结直肠癌细胞系通过脾内注射或在盲肠中植入肿瘤组织来诱导具有肝转移的结直肠癌动物模型。通过生物发光成像观察到肿瘤生长和转移事件。在原位移植组中，六种细胞系对原位肿瘤的摄取率均为100％，但显示出增长率。HCT-116细胞发生了50％的肝转移。但是，异位移植组的肝转移率更高，HCT116电池（90％）和SW620电池（77.8％）的频率最高。此外，荷瘤小鼠的肝转移时间和存活率均比原位移植组短。另外，六种结直肠癌细胞系在原位移植组中导致更多的淋巴结转移，而在异位移植组中产生广泛的腹膜播种。生物发光成像和病理学发现证实了肿瘤的生长和转移特征。使用六种细胞系的两种结肠直肠癌动物模型显示出生长速率，荷瘤小鼠存活率和转移频率的高度差异。该研究为建立具有临床意义的具有肝转移动物模型的结直肠癌提供了有用的信息。