Mouse Model for Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma Originated from Mature Hepatocytes

Abstract

Liver cancer consists of two main histological subtypes, hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma, both of which have poor prognosis. Therefore, in searching for new therapeutic targets, adequate mouse models to develop and validate therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Although there are mouse models of liver cancer, each model has shortcomings. To overcome these shortcomings, a mouse model using a hydrodynamic tail vein injection and the Sleeping Beauty transposon was developed. By inducing stable expression of oncogenes in mouse hepatocytes in vivo, the model can easily induce liver cancer with specific characteristics that depend on the oncogenes used to induce carcinogenesis. Here, we describe the details of the methods to induce hepatocellular carcinoma or cholangiocarcinoma from mouse hepatocytes.