Octreotide and celecoxib synergistically encapsulate VX2 hepatic allografts following transcatheter arterial embolisation

To evaluate the encapsulation of VX2 hepatic allografts in rabbits induced by octreotide and celecoxib administration following transcatheter arterial embolisation (TAE), rabbits with hepatic VX2 allografts were divided into four groups: control, TAE, octreotide + celecoxib (O+C) and the multimodality therapy (TAE+O+C). Allograft metastasis, capsule thickness and percentage of clear cells were measured and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CD31 were detected by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. The extrahepatic metastases of each intervention group were significantly fewer than those of the control group, with the TAE+O+C group exhibiting the fewest extrahepatic metastases. The TAE+O+C group had the greatest proportion of clear cells and thickest capsule on day 30. Increased capsule thickness was negatively correlated with tumour metastasis. In addition, VEGF expression levels assessed by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR in the three intervention groups were significantly lower than those in the control group. Furthermore, the TAE+O+C group had a significantly reduced CD31 count induced by TAE. These results demonstrate that TAE, followed by long-term administration of octreotide and celecoxib, synergistically inhibits VX2 hepatic allograft metastasis by increasing the proportion of clear cells, promoting encapsulation and inhibiting angiogenesis.