BACKGROUND: Most forms of cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), are associated with varying degrees of chronic inflammation. The association between the expression of eicosanoids, which are bioactive lipid mediators of inflammation, and HCC remains unknown. The aim of this study was to measure serum and hepatic eicosanoids in a mouse model of HCC with the delivery of c-Met and activated b-catenin by hepatocyte hydrodynamic injection.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The HCC mouse model, and normal control mice, were used in this study with co-delivery of human c-Met combined with activated β-catenin into hepatocytes through hydrodynamic injection. Liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis was used to measure serum and hepatic eicosanoid levels.

RESULTS: The combined activation of c-Met and β-catenin was induced in the HCC mouse model. LC-MS/MS showed that a total of 13 eicosanoids in serum and 12 eicosanoids in liver tissue were significantly increased in the HCC mice, when compared with control mice.

CONCLUSIONS: In a mouse model of HCC, co-activation of the c-Met and β-catenin signaling pathway resulted in increased levels of serum and hepatic eicosanoids.

Keywords: eicosanoids