Name: orthotopic implantation of patient-derived cancer cells in mice recapitulates advanced colorectal cancer
Uploaded: 2023-02-10T13:05:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Orthotopic Implantation of Patient-Derived Cancer Cells in Mice Recapitulates Advanced Colorectal Cancer at JoVE.com

We acknowledge the Cellex Foundation, CIBERONC network, and Instituto de Salud Carlos III for their support. Moreover, we also thank the preclinical imaging platform at the Vall d&#39;Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), where the experiments were performed.

Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Vall d&#39;Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain (approval ID: PR(IR)79/2009 PR(AG)114/2014, PR(AG)18/2018). Human colon tissue samples consisted of biopsies from non-necrotic areas of primary adenocarcinomas or liver metastases, corresponding to patients with colon and rectal cancer who underwent tumor resection. Experiments were conducted following the European Union&#39;s animal care directi...

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	<li>Sung, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Global+Cancer+Statistics+2020:+GLOBOCAN+estimates+of+incidence+and+mortality+worldwide+for+36+cancers+in+185+countries.">Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries.</a> CA: a Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 71 (3), 209-249 (2021).</li><li>Puig, I., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+personalized+preclinical+model+to+evaluate+the+metastatic+potential+of+patient-derived+colon+cancer+initiating+cells.">A personalized preclinical model to evaluate the metastatic potential of patient-derived colon cancer initiating cells.</a> Clinical Cancer Research. 19 (24), 6787-6801 (2013).</li><li>Clevers, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Modeling+development+and+disease+with+organoids.">Modeling development and disease with organoids.</a> Cell. 165 (7), 1586-1597 (2016).</li><li>Byrne, A. T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Interrogating+open+issues+in+cancer+precision+medicine+with+patient-derived+xenografts.">Interrogating open issues in cancer precision medicine with patient-derived xenografts.</a> Nature Reviews. Cancer. 17 (4), 254-268 (2017).</li><li>Vatandoust, S., Price, T. J., Karapetis, C. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Colorectal+cancer:+Metastases+to+a+single+organ.">Colorectal cancer: Metastases to a single organ.</a> World Journal of Gastroenterology. 21 (41), 11767-11776 (2015).</li><li>Cespedes, M. 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Over the last few decades, many new anti-cancer therapies have been developed and tested in patients with different tumor types, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Although promising results in preclinical models have been observed in many cases, the therapeutic efficacy in patients with advanced metastatic CRC has been frequently limited. Therefore, there is an urgent need for preclinical models that allow for testing the efficacy of new therapeutic drugs in a clinically relevant metastatic scenario.
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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide1. The ability to generate in vitro or in vivo tumor models derived from individual patient tumor cells has advanced precision medicine in oncology. Over the last decade, patient derived organoids (PDOs) or xenografts (PDXs) have been used by many research groups around the world2. PDOs are multicellular in vitro structures that resemble the features of the original tumor tissue and can self-organize and self-renew3. These promising in vitro models can successfully be used for drug screening and facilitating translational research. On the other side, PDX models faithfully recapitulate the original CRC at all relevant levels, from histology to molecular traits and drug response2,4.
In vivo PDX models are mostly grown as subcutaneous tumors in immunodeficient mice. Using this approach, PDXs have become the gold standard in cancer research, particularly for studying drug sensitivity or resistance. However, CRC related deaths are mostly associated with the presence of metastatic lesions in the liver, the lung, or the peritoneal cavity, and neither of the two approaches (PDO or PDX) can recapitulate the advanced clinical setting. In addition, the specific site of tumor growth has been shown to determine important biological characteristics that have an impact on drug efficacy and disease prognosis2. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish preclinical models that can be used to assess the efficacy of anticancer drugs in a clinically relevant metastatic setting6.
Microcomputed tomography (&#181;CT) scanners can function as scaled-down clinical CT scanners, providing primary tumor and metastasis imaging in mice at a scaled image resolution proportional to that of CT images of cancer patients7. To counteract the poor soft tissue contrast of the &#181;CT technique, radiological iodinated contrast agents can be used to improve the contrast and evaluate tumor burden. Using a dual contrast approach, oral and intraperitoneal iodine is administrated at different timings. The contrast administrated orally helps to define the limits between tumor tissue and cecum content inside the bowel. &#160;On the other side, the contrast administered intraperitoneally allows for the identification of the external limits of the tumor mass, which frequently grows and invades the peritoneum8.
The manuscript describes a protocol to perform orthotopic implantation of patient-derived cancer cells in the cecum wall of immunodeficient mice, and the methodology to monitor intestinal tumor growth using &#181;CT scanning. The present manuscript shows that the model recapitulates the clinical scenario of advanced intestinal tumors and metastatic disease in CRC patients that cannot be studied using PDO or PDXO models. Since orthotopic PDX models of CRC recapitulate the clinical scenario of CRC patients, we conclude that they are the best to date for testing the efficacy of anti-tumoral drugs in advanced intestinal tumors and metastatic disease.

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orthotopic implantation of patient-derived cancer cells in mice recapitulates advanced colorectal cancer

Over the last decade, more sophisticated preclinical colorectal cancer (CRC) models have been established using patient-derived cancer cells and 3D tumoroids. Since patient derived tumor organoids can retain the characteristics of the original tumor, these reliable preclinical models enable cancer drug screening and the study of drug resistance mechanisms. However, CRC related death in patients is mostly associated with the presence of metastatic disease. It is therefore essential to evaluate the efficacy of anti-cancer therapies in relevant in vivo models that truly recapitulate the key molecular features of human cancer metastasis. We have established an orthotopic model based on the injection of CRC patient-derived cancer cells directly into the cecum wall of mice. These tumor cells develop primary tumors in the cecum that metastasize to the liver and lungs, which is frequently observed in patients with advanced CRC. This CRC mouse model can be used to evaluate drug responses monitored by microcomputed tomography (&#181;CT), a clinically relevant small-scale imaging method that can easily identify primary tumors or metastases in patients. Here, we describe the surgical procedure and the required methodology to implant patient-derived cancer cells in the cecum wall of immunodeficient mice.

Mice orthotopically implanted with patient-derived cancer cells were monitored weekly by &#181;CT scanning. At the end of the experiment, the animals were euthanized. Intestines, ceca (Figure 1A,B), livers, lungs,&#160;and any other possible lesion were collected, included in a cassette, and fixed with 4% formalin overnight. Intestine tissue from a mouse without a tumor in the cecum was used as a control (Figure 1C). Finally, cassettes were chan...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Orthotopic Implantation of Patient-Derived Cancer Cells in Mice Recapitulates Advanced Colorectal Cancer at JoVE.com

Orthotopic Implantation of Patient-Derived Cancer Cells in Mice Recapitulates Advanced Colorectal Cancer

This protocol describes the orthotopic implantation of patient-derived cancer cells in the cecum wall of immunodeficient mice. The model recapitulates advanced colorectal cancer metastatic disease and allows for the evaluation of new therapeutic drugs in a clinically relevant scenario of lung and liver metastases.

Over the last decade, more sophisticated preclinical colorectal cancer (CRC) models have been established using patient-derived cancer cells and 3D ...

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