Liposomal Doxorubicin Increases Radiofrequency Ablation–induced Tumor Destruction by Increasing Cellular Oxidative and Nitrative Stress and Accelerating Apoptotic Pathways

Purpose To determine if oxidative and nitrative stress and/or apoptosis contribute to increased coagulation when combining radiofrequency (RF) ablation with liposomal doxorubicin. Materials and Methods Animal care committee approval was obtained. R3230 mammary adenocarcinomas in Fischer rats were treated with either RF ablation (n = 43), 1 mg of intravenously injected liposomal doxorubicin (n = 26), or combined therapy (n = 30) and were compared with control subjects (n = 11). A subset of animals receiving combination therapy (n = 24) were treated in the presence or absence of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) administered 24 hours and 1 hour before RF ablation. Tumors were analyzed 2 minutes to 72 hours after treatment to determine the temporal range of response by using immunohistochemical staining of the apoptosis marker cleaved caspase-3, phosphorylated γH2AX, and HSP70 and of markers of oxidative and nitrative stress (8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine [8-OHdG], 4-hydroxynonenal [4-HNE]–modified proteins, and nitrotyrosine [NT]). Statistical analyses, including t tests and analysis of variance for comparisons where appropriate, were performed. Results By 4 hours after RF ablation alone, a 0.48-mm ± 0.13 (standard deviation) peripheral band with 57.0% ± 7.3 cleaved caspase-3 positive cells was noted at the ablation margin, whereas a 0.73-mm ± 0.18 band with 77.7% ± 6.3 positivity was seen for combination therapy (P < .03 for both comparisons). Combination therapy caused increased and earlier staining for 4-HNE–modified proteins, 8-OHdG, NT, and γH2AX with colocalization to cleaved caspase-3 staining. A rim of increased HSP70 was identified peripheral to the area of cleaved caspase-3. Parameters of oxidative and nitrative stress were significantly inhibited by NAC 1 hour following RF ablation, resulting in decreased cleaved caspase-3 positivity (0.28-mm ± 0.09 band of 25.9% ± 7.4 positivity vs 0.59-mm ± 0.11 band of 62.9% ± 6.0 positivity, P < .001 for both comparisons). Conclusion Combining RF ablation with liposomal doxorubicin increases cell injury and apoptosis in the zone of increased coagulation by using a mechanism that involves oxidative and nitrative stress that leads to accelerated apoptosis. © RSNA, 2010