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Cryoablation with KCl Solution Enhances Necrosis and Apoptosis of HepG2 Liver Cancer Cells

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Abstract

Cryoablation has become a valuable treatment modality for the management of liver cancer. However, one of the major challenges in cryosurgery is the incomplete cryodestruction near the edge of the iceball. This issue can be addressed by optimizing cryoablation parameters and administering thermotropic drugs prior to the procedure. These drugs help enhance tumor response, thereby strengthening the destruction of the incomplete frozen zone in liver cance. In the present study, the feasibility and effectiveness of a thermophysical agent, KCl solution, were investigated to enhance the cryodestruction of HepG2 human liver cancer cells. All cryoablation parameters were simultaneously optimized in order to significantly improve the effect of cryoablation, resulting in an increase in the lethal temperature from − 25 °C to − 17 °C. Subsequently, it was found that the application of KCl solution prior to freezing significantly decreased cell viability post-thaw compared to cryoablation treatment alone. This effect was attributed to the eutectic effect of KCl solution. Importantly, it was found that the combination of KCl solution and freezing was less effective when applied to LO2 human liver normal cells. The data revealed that the ratio of mRNA levels of Bcl-2 and bax decreased significantly more in HepG2 cells than in LO2 cells when cryoablation was used with KCl solution. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of KCl solution in promoting cryoablation and describe a novel therapeutic model for the treatment of liver cancer that may distinguish between cancer and normal cells.

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Acknowledgments

The project was supported by the Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Tumor Treatment with Energy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biothermal Science and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093, China

    Mu Chen, Wei Liu & Baolin Liu

  2. Shanghai Technical Service Platform for Cryopreservation of Biological Resources, Shanghai, 200093, China

    Mu Chen, Wei Liu & Baolin Liu

  3. Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Tumor Treatment with Energy, Shanghai, 200093, China

    Mu Chen, Wei Liu & Baolin Liu

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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis, original draft preparation: [MC]; review and editing: [WL]; funding acquisition, resources, and supervision: [BL]. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Baolin Liu.

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Chen, M., Liu, W. & Liu, B. Cryoablation with KCl Solution Enhances Necrosis and Apoptosis of HepG2 Liver Cancer Cells. Ann Biomed Eng (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-024-03512-1

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