人绒毛膜癌裸鼠原位移植模型的建立

目的建立人绒毛膜癌裸鼠原位移植瘤模型。方法培养人绒毛膜癌细胞系JAR,制备JAR单细胞悬液,给5只8周龄BALB/c裸鼠经皮下注射建立皮下移植瘤模型。待裸鼠皮下成瘤后,无菌条件下取瘤组织并切成1 mm^3组织块,通过手术方式植入10只10周龄BALB/c裸鼠子宫腔内,裸鼠濒死状时4%水合氯醛(10 g/kg)腹腔注射麻醉处死,观察子宫成瘤及腹腔转移情况。解剖取子宫原位移植瘤、腹腔内转移瘤、腹腔淋巴结及其他脏器组织标本,通过组织病理学检查进行鉴定。结果10只BALB/c裸鼠中共有7只裸鼠子宫内可见移植瘤肿块形成,其中2只可同时观察到子宫移植瘤和腹膜转移瘤。在病理学形态和结构上,皮下移植瘤模型、原位移植模型和腹膜转移瘤的瘤细胞与人绒毛膜癌细胞系JAR一致。结论成功建立人绒毛膜癌JAR细胞的BALB/c裸鼠原位移植瘤模型。     

Importance of orthotopic implantation for human tumors as model systems: relevance to metastasis and invasion

Transplantation of human tumors into immunodeficient athymic nude mice has become an important experimental approach to study the biology and the treatment of human cancer. Most human tumor xenograft experiments have employed subcutaneous injection procedures, but the main limit of this technique is the lack of metastasis from the subcutaneous site. The possibility of producing experimental metastasis by intravenous injection of cells in the animals has been known for a long time, and it has been recently reported that tumorigenic properties and metastatic ability of human cancer can be altered by transplantation of the tumor into its organ or tissue of origin in the recipient animals (orthotopic transplantation). In this paper we review (1) the principal techniques of orthotopic injection of most solid tumors, (2) the most recent techniques to achieve experimental metastases, and (3) the methods for preparing tumor cell suspensions from human surgical specimens suitable for transplantation into animals. These animal models should be used for a more appropriate evaluation of new antitumor treatments including the ones targeted to inhibit metastatic spread.     

Development of a high metastatic orthotopic model of human renal cell carcinoma in nude mice: benefits of fragment implantation compared to cell-suspension injection

In this study we compared the metastatic rate of human renal cell carcinoma SN12C in two orthotopic nude mouse models: surgical orthotopic implantation (SOI) of histologically intact tumor tissue and cellular orthotopic injection (COI) of cell suspensions in the kidney. The primary tumors resulting from SOI were larger and much more locally invasive than primary tumors resulting from COI. SOI generated higher metastatic expression than COI. The differences in metastatic rates in the involved organs (lung, liver, and mediastinal lymph nodes) were 2–3 fold higher in SOI compared to COI (P<0.05). Median survival time in the SOI model was 40 days, which was significantly shorter than that of COI (68 days) (P<0.001). Histological observation of the primary tumors from the SOI model demonstrated a much richer vascular network than the COI model. Lymph node and lung metastases were larger and more cellular in the SOI model compared to COI. We conclude that the tissue architecture of the implanted tumor tissue in the SOI model plays an important role in the initiation of primary tumor growth, invasion, and distant metastasis. This study directly demonstrates that the implantation of histologically intact tumor tissue orthotopically allows accurate expression of the clinical features of human renal cancer in nude mice. This model should be of value in cancer research and antimetastatic drug discovery for renal cancer, a currently very poorly responding malignancy.     

A novel spontaneous metastasis model of human osteosarcoma developed using orthotopic transplantation of intact tumor tissue into tibia of nude mice

Evaluation of potential new treatment strategies requires adequate experimental tumor models which resemble the clinical situation as closely as possible. The purpose of the present study was to establish a new human osteosarcoma spontaneous metastasis model using orthotopic transplantation of histologically intact tumor tissue into the tibia of nude mice. Intact tumor pieces, obtained from the 32nd serial passage of subcutaneously growing human osteosarcoma xenografts, were implanted into the proximal tibia in 31 nude mice. Animals were sacrificed and autopsied 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after transplantation and examined macroscopically and microscopically for local tumor growth and metastases. All mice developed local intratibial bone tumors that were radiographically and histologically similar to primary human osteosarcoma. Lung metastases were observed in all mice, local and distant lymph node metastases in 15 (48%), and liver metastases in 6 (19%) mice. The microscopic appearance of the metastases was similar to that observed in the donor patientÕs tumor, corresponding subcutaneous xenografts and orthotopically transplanted intratibial tumors. This spontaneous metastasis model of human osteosarcoma in nude mice may resemble a clinical situation and could thus be useful for studies on local tumor growth, metastasis formation and therapy.     

Optically imageable metastatic model of human breast cancer

We report an optically imageable orthotopic metastatic nude mouse model of the human breast cancer MDA-MB-435 expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP). We demonstrate fluorescent imaging of primary and metastatic growth in live tissue and in intact animals. Fragments of tumor tissue expressing GFP were sutured into the pocket in the right second mammary gland. Tumor tissue was strongly fluorescent, enabling whole-body imaging of tumor growth by week 5. Neovascularization of the primary tumor was also visualized by whole-body imaging by contrast of the vessels to the fluorescent tumor. At autopsy, the MDA-MB-435-GFP was found to have metastasized to various organs, including the lung in 55% of the animals, the lymph nodes in 15% of the animals including axillary nodes, and the liver in 10% of the animals. These metastases could be visualized in fresh tissue by fluorescent imaging. Detailed fluorescence analysis visualized extensive metastasis in the thoracic cavity and the lymphatic system. Large metastatic nodules in the lung involved most of the pulmonary parenchyma in all lobes. Lymph node metastasis was found mainly in the axillary area. In the liver, fluorescent macroscopic metastatic nodules were found under the capsule. The metastatic pattern in the model thus reflected clinical metastatic breast cancer and provides a powerful model for drug discovery for this disease. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Multi-organ metastatic capability of Chinese hamster ovary cells revealed by green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression

Stable high-level green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) were used to visualize the degree of metastatic behavior of this cell line in nude and SCID mice. A stable GFP high-expression CHO clone, selected in 1.5 M methotrexate, was injected subcutaneously in nude and severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice and implanted orthotopically in the ovary of nude mice. CHO proved to be highly metastatic from both the subcutaneous and orthotopic sites as brightly visualized by GFP fluorescence. High-level GFP-expression allowed the visualization of metastatic tumor in fresh live host tissue in great detail. Metastases were visualized by GFP expression in the lung, pleural membrane, spleen, kidney, ovary, adrenal gland, and peritoneum after orthotopic implantation in nude mice. Metastases were visualized by GFP expression mainly in the lung, pleural membrane after subcutaneous implantation in nude mice. Metastases were visualized in the lung and pleural membrane, liver, kidney, and ovary after subcutaneous implantation in SCID mice. The construction of highly fluorescent stable GFP transfectants of CHO has revealed the multi-organ metastatic capability of CHO cells. CHO has such a high degree of malignancy that it is metastatic from both the orthotopic and subcutaneous transplant sites. This highly malignant GFP-expressing cell-line with multi-organ metastatic affinity should serve as a powerful tool to study tumor-host interaction.     

小干扰RNA抑制卵巢癌模型裸鼠移植瘤葡萄糖调节蛋白94的表达及意义

背景：一些实验在模型鼠移植瘤中葡萄糖调节蛋白94被敲除后,细胞黏附中断,刺激肝起源细胞增殖,进而促进肝肿瘤的发生,推测葡萄糖调节蛋白94在肝癌中起到保护作用。 目的：应用小干扰RNA技术抑制裸鼠卵巢癌模型皮下移植瘤内质网分子伴侣葡萄糖调节蛋白94的基因表达,探讨移植瘤中葡萄糖调节蛋白94基因及蛋白表达的变化对移植瘤生长的影响。 方法：从GeneBank中选取人类葡萄糖调节蛋白94基因序列,构建受控于人RNA聚合酶Ⅲ启动子U6 的真核表达载体psiSTRIKETM/葡萄糖调节蛋白94。建立人卵巢癌HO-8910细胞株裸鼠皮下接种模型,并将真核表达载体转染入裸鼠移植瘤体内,观察肿瘤生长情况。卵巢癌裸鼠模型经过不同给药方案干预后分为特异性小干扰RNA组,非特异性小干扰RNA组和生理盐水对照组, RT-PCR和免疫组化SP法检测葡萄糖调节蛋白94 mRNA和蛋白在肿瘤内的表达情况,并观察模型裸鼠的移植瘤生长情况。 结果与结论：成功构建RNA干扰质粒载体,所有裸鼠模型均接种成功,5 d后即可见皮下肿瘤形成,14 d左右肿瘤直径达7-10 mm。转染质粒完毕后抑瘤率为65.1%,与非特异性小干扰RNA组和生理盐水对照组比较,差异有显著性意义(P < 0.01)。psiSTRIKETM/GRP94治疗后瘤体内葡萄糖调节蛋白94 mRNA和蛋白显著下调(P < 0.01)。说明靶向葡萄糖调节蛋白94 mRNA的小干扰RNA可显著抑制人卵巢癌裸鼠移植瘤的生长,其机制可能是诱导葡萄糖调节蛋白94 mRNA和蛋白表达下调所致。 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：肾移植;肝移植;移植;心脏移植;组织移植;皮肤移植;皮瓣移植;血管移植;器官移植;组织工程全文链接：     

Chronologically-specific metastatic targeting of human pancreatic tumors in orthotopic models

Pancreatic cancer is a highly metastatic disease that responds poorly to currently-available treatment. In order to better visualize and understand the chronology and specificity of metastatic targeting of pancreatic cancer, two human pancreatic cancer cell lines, expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP), were studied in orthotopic models. MIA-PaCa2-GFP and BxPC-3-GFP tumor fragments were transplanted by surgical orthotopic implantation (SOI) to the nude mouse pancreas for fluorescence visualization of the chronology of pancreatic tumor growth and metastatic targeting. BxPC-3-GFP tumors developed rapidly in the pancreas and spread regionally to the spleen and retroperitoneum as early as six weeks. Distant metastases in BxPC-3-GFP were rare. In contrast, MIA-PaCa-2-GFP grew more slowly in the pancreas but rapidly metastasized to distant sites including liver and portal lymph nodes. Regional metastases in MIA-PaCa-2-GFP were rare. These studies demonstrate that pancreatic cancers have highly specific and individual “seed-soil” interactions governing the chronology and sites of metastatic targeting. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Characterization of a highly metastatic, orthotopic lung cancer model in the nude rat

The prevailing subcutaneous nude rodent tumor xenograft models used for biological and preclinical studies do not optimally reflect some important biological properties of cancer, especially invasion and metastasis. Orthotopic models have been developed to address this need. However, for lung cancer none of the available models are optimal, in that none originate from an orthotopic (bronchial) primary site and exhibit extensive extrathoracic metastasis. Our goal was to develop a consistent rodent model of non-small cell lung cancer with both of these properties. Groups of male Rowett nude rats were given 500 rads of gamma radiation and then endobronchially implanted in the right caudal lobe airway with 50 mg of small NCI-H460 tumor fragments taken from an orthotopic donor tumor. They were then sacrificed at selected post-implantation times and evaluated grossly and histologically for animal weight, primary tumor take and size, and metastatic tumor incidence at multiple sites. At a late time point (32–35 days), consistency of primary tumor size and metastasis was estimated by comparing results from four groups of rats implanted on different occasions. The results showed that the primary tumors grew steadily, reaching four grams by days 32–35. Rats gained weight until days 14 to 21, but then began to show cachexia. High metastatic rates (>60%) were seen for mediastinal lymph nodes (by 21 days), and kidney, bone and brain (by 28 days). Mean primary tumor size and the incidences of both regional and systemic metastasis were consistent at 32–35 days in four different groups of six animals. In conclusion, this orthotopic lung cancer model is highly metastatic and consistent in terms of both primary tumor growth and metastatic behavior. It is the only available rodent model of human lung cancer emanating from an endobronchial site and metastasizing to multiple extrapulmonary sites, and should be very useful for both biological and preclinical studies of lung cancer, particularly where studies of antimetastatic activity are of interest, and/or where survival studies are desired.     

An orthotopic metastatic prostate cancer model in SCID mice via grafting of a transplantable human prostate tumor line

Metastasis is the major cause of prostate cancer deaths and there is a need for clinically relevant in vivo models allowing elucidation of molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying metastatic behavior. Here we describe the development of a new in vivo model system for metastatic prostate cancer. Pieces of prostate cancer tissue from a patient were grafted in testosterone-supplemented male NOD-SCID mice at the subrenal capsule graft site permitting high tumor take rates. After five serial transplantations, the tumor tissues were grafted into mouse prostates. Resulting tumors and suspected metastatic lesions were subjected to histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis. Samples of metastatic tissue were regrafted in mouse anterior prostates and their growth and spread examined, leading to isolation from lymph nodes of a metastatic subline, PCa1-met. Orthotopic grafting of PCa1-met tissue in 47 hosts led in all cases to metastases to multiple organs (lymph nodes, lung, liver, kidney, spleen and, notably, bone). Histopathological analysis showed strong similarity between orthotopic grafts and their metastases. The latter were of human origin as indicated by immunostaining using antibodies against human mitochondria, androgen receptor, prostate-specific antigen and Ki-67. Spectral karyotyping showed few chromosomal alterations in the PCa1-met subline. This study indicates that transplantable subrenal capsule xenografts of human prostate cancer tissue in NOD-SCID mice can, as distinct from primary cancer tissue, be successfully grown in the orthotopic site. Orthotopic xenografts of the transplantable tumor lines and metastatic sublines can be used for studying various aspects of metastatic prostate cancer, including metastasis to bone.     

不良心理应激对人卵巢癌荷瘤裸鼠皮下移植瘤生长及表皮生长因子受体、磷酸化蛋白激酶B、血管内皮生长因子蛋白表达的影响

目的 通过观察不良心理应激人卵巢癌荷瘤裸鼠皮下移植瘤的体积、重量和瘤体组织中表皮生长因子受体（EGFR）、磷酸化蛋白激酶B（p-Akt）、血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）蛋白表达情况的差异,探讨其对卵巢癌生长的影响及可能的分子机制。 方法 购置4～6周龄的雌性BALB/c裸鼠,称重,随机分两组,每组12只。A组：荷瘤组皮下移植人卵巢癌组织瘤块,不给予应激;B组：荷瘤+应激组皮下移植人卵巢癌组织瘤块,给予应激。定期测量皮下移植瘤的体积,结束应激实验后的第2天,处死全部组别（A组、B组）裸鼠,剥离肿瘤予以称重,利用免疫组织化学及Western blotting方法对A、B两组皮下移植瘤组织中的EGFR、p-Akt、VEGF蛋白表达情况进行检测。 结果 荷瘤+应激组皮下移植瘤体积及其重量显著高于荷瘤组（P＜0.01）;免疫组织化学实验提示,荷瘤+应激组中皮下移植瘤组织中的EGFR、p-Akt、VEGF蛋白表达水平高于荷瘤组（P<0.05）;Wester blotting提示,荷瘤+应激组皮下移植瘤组织中EGFR、p-Akt、VEGF蛋白表达水平显著高于荷瘤组（P<0.01）。 结论 不良心理应激可能通过EGFR及其介导的下游PI3K/Akt信号通路来促进卵巢癌的发生、发展。     

Hyaluronidase expression induces prostate tumor metastasis in an orthotopic mouse model

Molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer progression are frequently studied in mice by orthotopic injection of aggressive cell lines, which yield primary tumors that spontaneously metastasize to lymph nodes. In this report, we characterized the human prostate carcinoma cell line 22Rv1 in an orthotopic system and evaluated the functional relevance of the hyaluronidase Hyal1, a correlate of invasive human prostate cancer, to progression in this model. To provide real-time insights into these processes, we first validated use of an epidermal growth factor-conjugated fluorophore to illuminate orthotopic prostate tumors and their metastases in whole animal imaging. Animals receiving intraprostatic injections were tracked throughout a 6-week period. Tumor sizes were correlated 92% with total fluorescence intensities of 22 prostate tumors. In contrast to the highly tumorigenic and metastatic PC3M-LN4 cells, the 22Rv1 line was orthotopically tumorigenic but not metastatic, despite larger tumor sizes. Lymph node metastasis was successfully imaged in animals with PC3M-LN4 tumors on endpoint dissection. Stable transfection of 22Rv1 cells with Hyal1 did not alter growth kinetics of primary orthotopic tumors, but all animals implanted with Hyal1 transfectants exhibited tumor-positive para-aortic lymph nodes. Hyal1 is implicated as an inducer of prostate cancer metastatic progression.     

Metastatic patterns of lung cancer visualized live and in process by green fluorescence protein expression

We demonstrate here the visualization of human lung cancer metastasis live and in process in nude mice by green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression. The human lung adenocarcinoma cell line Anip 973 stably transfected with the humanized GFP-S65T cDNA was selected for very bright green fluorescence. GFP-transfected lung cancer cells were initially inoculated subcutaneously in nude mice. Five weeks after transplantation, the resulting tumor had reached over 1 cm in diameter and had very bright GFP fluorescence. Fragments of subcutaneous tumor were implanted onto the visceral pleura of the left lung of nude mice by surgical orthotopic implantation (SOI) of histologically-intact tissue via transverse thoracotomy. The ipsilateral resulting tumor was highly fluorescent due to GFP expression. GFP expression allowed the visualization of the advancing margin of the ipsilateral tumor into the fresh normal lung tissue. Lymphogenous and direct-seeding metastases in the pulmonary hilum, cervical lymph nodes, the mediastinum and contralateral pleural cavity and contralateral lung in the SOI-treated mice were brightly visualized by GFP expression in fresh tissue. GFP-transfected and untransfected tumor had similar metastatic characteristics suggesting that GFP expression had no effect on metastasis itself. The results with the GFP-transfected tumor cells, combined with the use of SOI, demonstrate a fundamental advance in the visualization and study of lung cancer metastasis in process.     

Intratumoral heterogeneity for expression of tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors in human colon cancer surgical specimens and orthotopic tumors

The design of targeted therapy, particularly patient-specific targeted therapy, requires knowledge of the presence and intratumoral distribution of tyrosine kinase receptors. To determine whether the expression of such receptors is constant or varies between and within individual colon cancer neoplasms, we examined the pattern of expression of the ligands, epidermal growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor-B as well as their respective receptors in human colon cancer surgical specimens and orthotopic human colon cancers growing in the cecal wall of nude mice. The expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor and the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor on tumor cells and stromal cells, including tumor-associated endothelial cells, was heterogeneous in surgical specimens and orthotopic tumors. In some tumors, the receptor was expressed on both tumor cells and stromal cells, and in other tumors the receptor was expressed only on tumor cells or only on stromal cells. In contrast, the platelet-derived growth factor receptor was expressed only on stromal cells in both surgical specimens and orthotopic tumors. Examination of receptor expression in both individual surgical specimens and orthotopic tumors revealed that the platelet-derived growth factor receptor was expressed only on stromal cells and that the patterns of epidermal growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 expression differed between tumor cells. This heterogeneity in receptor expression among different tumor cells suggests that targeting a single tyrosine kinase may not yield eradication of the disease.     

A highly metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma orthotopic green fluorescent protein model

The Lewis lung carcinoma has been widely used for many important studies. However, the subcutaneous transplant or orthotopic cell-suspension injection models have not allowed the expression of its full metastatic potential. A powerful new highly metastatic model of the widely-used Lewis lung carcinoma is reported here using surgical orthotopic implantation (SOI) of tumor fragments and enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) transduction of the tumor cells. To achieve this goal, we first developed in vitro a stable high-expression GFP transductant of the Lewis lung carcinoma with the pLEIN retroviral expression vector containing the enhanced Aequorea victoria GFP gene. Stable high-level expression of GFP was found maintained in vivo in subcutaneously-growing Lewis lung tumors. The in vivo GFP-expressing tumors were harvested and implanted as tissue fragments by SOI in the right lung of additional nude mice. This model resulted in rapid orthotopic growth and extensive metastasis visualized by GFP-expression. 100% of the animals had metastases on the ipsilateral diaphragmatic surface, contralateral diaphragmatic surface, contralateral lung parenchima, and in mediastinal lymph nodes. Heart metastases were visualized in 40%, and brain metastases were visualized in 30% of the SOI animals. Mice developed signs of respiratory distress between 10–15 days post-tumor implantation and were sacrificed. The use of GFP-transduced Lewis lung carcinoma transplanted by SOI reveals for the first time the high malignancy of this tumor and provides an important useful model for metastasis, angiogenesis and therapeutic studies.     

右旋柠烯乳剂对人胃癌移植瘤生长和转移的抑制作用

目的　研究并探讨右旋柠烯乳剂 (D limonene)对人胃癌生长和转移的抑制作用及其机制。　方法　采用人胃癌BGC 82 3细胞株经反复传代成实体瘤的完整组织块 ,建立人胃癌裸小鼠原位移植瘤模型。将 4 0只荷瘤裸小鼠随机分成 4组 ,移植后第 5d开始分别用生理盐水灌胃、5 氟尿嘧啶 (5 FU)腹腔注射、D limonene灌胃、D limonene灌胃 +5 FU腹腔注射共 7周。第 8周处死动物 ,测量原位肿瘤瘤重并计算抑瘤率 ,检测肿瘤细胞凋亡指数 (AI)、肿瘤微血管密度 (MVD)及免疫组织化学测定肿瘤组织血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF)的表达变化 ,光镜与电镜观察组织细胞超微结构变化 ;观察荷瘤鼠腹膜、肝、其他脏器肿瘤转移及腹水情况。　结果　D limonene组、联用组分别与对照组相比 ,胃癌的原位肿瘤瘤重与抑瘤率、AI、MVD、VEGF下调 ,差异有显著性 (P <0 0 5 )。腹膜、肝转移受到明显抑制 (P <0 0 5 )。　结论　D limonene通过抑制肿瘤微血管形成 ,诱导胃癌细胞凋亡 ,抑制了体内胃癌的生长和转移。     

Effect of host microenvironment on the microcirculation of human colon adenocarcinoma.

It is generally accepted that the host microenvironment influences tumor biology. There are discrepancies in growth rate, metastatic potential, and efficacy of systemic treatment between ectopic and orthotopic tumors. Liver is the most common and critical site of distant metastasis of colorectal carcinoma. Tumorigenicity and efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in colorectal tumors are different in liver and subcutaneous sites. Thus, we hypothesize that the liver (orthotopic) versus subcutaneous (ectopic) microenvironment would have different effects on the angiogenesis and maintenance of the microcirculation of colorectal tumor. To this end, we developed a new method to monitor and to quantify microcirculatory parameters in the tumor grown in the liver. Using this approach, we compared the microcirculation of LS174T, a human colon adenocarcinoma, metastasized to the liver with that of the host liver vessels and that of the same tumor grown in the subcutaneous space. In the liver metastasis model, 5 x 10(6) LS174T cells were injected into the spleen of nude mice. Four to eight weeks later, the liver with metastatic tumors was exteriorized and placed on a special stage and observed under an intravital fluorescence microscope. The dorsal skinfold chamber model was used to study the subcutaneous tumors. Red blood cell velocity, vessel diameter, density, permeability, and leukocyte-endothelial interactions were measured using fluorescence microscopy and image analysis. Vascular endothelial growth factor/ vascular permeability factor (VEGF/VPF) mRNA expression was determined by the Northern blot analysis. LS174T tumor foci in the liver had tortuous vascular architecture, heterogeneous blood flow, significantly lower vascular density, and significantly higher vascular permeability than normal liver tissue. Tumors grown in the liver had significantly lower vessel density, especially in the center coincident with central necrosis, than the subcutaneous tumors. The frequency distribution of vessel diameters of liver tumor was slightly shifted to smaller size compared with that of subcutaneous tumor. Leukocyte rolling in liver tumor was twofold lower than that in subcutaneous tumor. These physiological findings were consistent with the measurement of VEGF/VPF in that the VEGF/VPF mRNA level was lower in the liver tumor than that in the subcutaneous tumor. However, macromolecular vascular permeability in the liver tumor was significantly higher than in the subcutaneous tumor. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, the origin of liver tumor vessel endothelium, are known to be fenestrated and not to have a basement membrane, suggesting that the difference in endothelial cell origin may explain the difference in tumor vascular permeability in two sites. These findings demonstrate that liver microenvironment has different effects on some aspects of the tumor angiogenesis and microcirculation compared with the subcutaneous tissues. The new model/method described in this paper has significant implications in two research areas: 1) the liver microenvironment and its effect on tumor pathophysiology in conjunction with cytokine/ growth factor regulation and 2) the delivery of drugs, cells, and genes to liver tumors.     

An ultra-metastatic model of human colon cancer in nude mice

An ultra-high metastatic model of human colon cancer was developed in order to represent highly malignant patient disease for which there is no current model. Surgical orthotopic implantation (SOI) of a histologically intact liver metastasis fragment derived from a surgical specimen of a patient with metastatic colon cancer was initially implanted in the colon, liver and subcutaneously in nude mice. This tumor did not metastasize for the first 10 passages. At the eleventh passage, the tumor exhibited metastasis from the colon to the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. At this time, two selective passages were carried out by transplanting resulting liver metastases in the nude mice to the colon of additional nude mice. After these two passages, the tumor became stably ultra-metastatic and was termed AC3488UM. One-hundred percent of mice transplanted with AC3488UM with SOI to the colon exhibited local growth, regional invasion, and spontaneous metastasis to the liver, lymph nodes, and spleen. While the maximum size of the primary tumor was 0.9 g, the metastatic liver was over 9 times the weight of the normal liver with the maximum weight of the metastatic liver over 12 g. Liver metastases were detected by the tenth day after transplantation in all animals. Half the animals died of metastatic tumor 25 days after transplantation. Histological characteristics of AC3488UM tumor were poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of colon. Mutant p53 is expressed heterogeneously in the primary tumor and more homogeneously in the liver metastasis suggesting a possible role of p53 in the liver metastasis. The human origin of AC3488UM was confirmed by positive fluorescence staining for in situ hybridization of human DNA. The AC3488 human colon-tumor model with its ultra-high metastatic capability in each transplanted animal, short latency and a short median survival period is different from any known human colon cancer model and will be an important tool for the study of and development of new therapy for highly metastatic human colon cancer.     

Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase enhances lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer

The mechanisms of the lymph node metastasis remain unclear. We demonstrate the role of MT1-MMP on the lymph node metastasis using in vivo experimental model of lymph node metastasis by orthotopic implantation of MT1-MMP transfected gastric cancer cell line in the stomach of nude rats. TMK-1 cell line without expression of MT1-MMP was transfected with the pcDNA3 plasmid containing a 3.4-kb MT1-MMP cDNA fragment by calcium phosphate method, and the transfected cell line was designated as TMK-MT. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses showed the specific bands corresponding to MT1-MMP in the TMK-MT cells. By gelatin zymography, the activated form (62-kDa) of MMP-2 was identified in the medium of TMK-MT cell line, but was not detected in TMK-1 cells. Six weeks after orthotopic implantation of TMK-1 and TMK-MT xenografts of nude mouse-subcutaneus tumor into the stomach of nude rats, gastric tumors were found in all the animals. Histologically, the lymphatic invasion was found in the submucosa of the TMK-MT gastric tumors. Lymph node metastasis was not detected in nude rats bearing TMK-1 gastric tumor (0/8). In contrast, lymph node metastasis was detected in five out of 8 rats, bearing TMK-MT gastric tumor. MT1-MMP immunoreactivity was found on the cell membrane and cytoplasm of TMK-MT cells not only in the lymph node metastasis but also in the stomach tumor. These results suggest that MT1-MMP overexpression induced by transfection of its gene may promote lymph node metastasis of transformed cells. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Targeting the expression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor by reactive stroma inhibits growth and metastasis of human colon carcinoma

The stromal cells within colon carcinoma express high levels of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGF-R), whereas colon cancer cells do not. Here, we examined whether blocking PDGF-R could inhibit colon cancer growth in vivo. KM12SM human colon cancer cells were injected subcutaneously (ectopic implantation) into the cecal wall (orthotopic implantation) or into the spleen (experimental liver metastasis) of nude mice. In the colon and liver, the tumors induced active stromal reaction, whereas in the subcutis, the stromal reaction was minimal. Groups of mice (n=10) received saline (control), the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib, irinotecan, or a combination of imatinib and irinotecan. Four weeks of treatment with imatinib and irinotecan significantly inhibited tumor growth (relative to control or single-agent therapy) in the cecum and liver but not in the subcutis. The combination therapy completely inhibited lymph node metastasis. Imatinib alone or in combination with irinotecan inhibited phosphorylation of PDGF-Rbeta of tumor-associated stromal cells and pericytes. Combination therapy also significantly decreased stromal reaction, tumor cell proliferation, and pericyte coverage of tumor microvessels and increased apoptosis of tumor cells and tumor-associated stromal cells. These data demonstrate that blockade of PDGF-R signaling pathways in tumor-associated stromal cells and pericytes inhibits the progressive growth and metastasis of colon cancer cells.