Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the distribution and the therapeutic effect of 188Re-Tin-colloid micro-particles in subcutaneous HCC-bearing mice. The synthesis and characterization of micro-particles labeled with the 188Re isotope were performed. The micro-particles were injected into the tumor site subcutaneously in the BNL HCC-bearing mice with three treatment groups, normal saline, 188Re micro-particles, and 188Re-Tin-colloid micro-particles. The results of biodistribution showed that major radioactivity (188Re) of 188Re-Tin-colloid micro-particles (18.69 ± 4.28 %ID/g) remained at the tumor sites, compared with 188Re micro-particles (0.21 ± 0.12 %ID/g), 24 h post injection. Following the injection of 188Re-Tin-colloid micro-particles for 14 days, all BNL tumors in mice were regressed during the observation period. By contrast, all of the mice treated with normal saline or 188Re micro-particles had died by 24 and 28 days, respectively. The 188Re-Tin-colloid micro-particles demonstrated high accumulation and therapeutic potential in the subcutaneous HCC-bearing mice.
Keywords: 188Re; colloid; hepatocellular carcinoma; micro-particles.