Abstract
Background: Certain surgical strategies, including Helium (He) and carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation in laparoscopy, have been shown to induce a hypoxic environment. This may have a significant effect on the invasive capacity of tumor cells and may be a factor in the incidence of port-site metastases seen in patients following laparoscopic resection for malignancy. Methods: A colon adenocarcinoma cell line (SW1222) was exposed to an in vitro pneumoperitoneum of CO2 or He at 3 mmHg or left in normal growth conditions (control). After a 4-hour exposure to an in vitro pneumoperitoneum, the ability of the cells to invade through 8.0-mm Transwell filters coated with Matrigel was analyzed by colorimetric MTS assay and by direct staining of the filters. The effect of the addition of a known blocker of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), 1,10-phenanthroline (1,10-P), was investigated. Results: Cells exposed to an in vitro pneumoperitoneum demonstrate significantly increased invasive capacity compared to the control set, without loss of viability (He vs control, p <0.001; CO2 vs control, p <0.001). This augmented capacity is abolished by the addition of 1,10-P (p <0.01). Conclusion: Exposure of a colonic adenocarcinoma cell line to either a CO2 or He pneumoperitoneum causes an increase in tumor cell invasiveness, which is abolished by the presence of a known inhibitor of MMPs. This suggests that MMPs have an important role in the metastatic potential of tumors exposed to a hypoxic operative environment.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ridgway, P., Smith, A., Ziprin, P. et al. Pneumoperitoneum augmented tumor invasiveness is abolished by matrix metalloproteinase blockade . Surg Endosc 16, 533–536 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-001-8311-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-001-8311-7