Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences under award number UL1TR003096 (MDE), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Predoctoral Fellowship in Lung Diseases Training Program 5T32HL134640 (MLD).

All methods described here have been approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
1. Experimental protocol
<ol>
	<li>Sacrifice the mouse using an approved IACUC method. Here, we used cervical dislocation of a mouse anesthetized with 5% isoflurane. Use an appropriate mouse for the study; here, we use an 8-week old FVB mouse</li>
	<li>Using surgical scissors, make a 3.5-5 mm horizontal incision in the middle of lower abdomen. Next, insert surgical scissors into the small hole created from incision and cut vertically up the center midline to just below the neck of the mouse.</li>
	<li>Pull the skin back with fingers and inspect the axillary lymph nodes.</li>
	<li>Using surgical scissors, make a 3.5 mm lateral incision to open the abdominal cavity, and then cut in the anterior direction up to the bottom of the thorax. Inspect the organs in the abdominal cavity: liver, spleen, kidneys, etc.</li>
	<li>With the flat of the surgical scissors, or using forceps, move the liver to expose the diaphragm. Inspect the diaphragm for tumor growth or metastases. Then, gently snip the diaphragm on the operator&#8217;s right side, allowing it to expand. Gently cut the diaphragm from right to left to expose the thoracic cavity and lungs. Be careful not to cut the lungs.</li>
	<li>Cut up through the lateral extreme of the left rib cage (on operator&#8217;s right) to inspect the left lobe of the lungs.</li>
	<li>Gently move the right lobes of the lung out of the way and cut up the lateral extreme of the right rib cage and remove rib cage. 
	NOTE: Removal of the rib cage is optional, though removal enables clearer view of later lung inflation.
	<ol>
		<li>If fresh or frozen lung tissue is required, use hemostat forceps to clamp the bronchus of the left lobe and resect the left lung using surgical scissors prior to perfusion.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Using the forceps to lift the tissue covering the trachea, cut away any excess tissue. Then gently cut the thin tissue lining the trachea to expose the airway.</li>
	<li>Cut through the renal artery with surgical scissors.</li>
	<li>To perfuse the lungs, use a 3 mL syringe with a 22 G needle to inject 1x PBS with 10 U/mL heparin into the right ventricle of the heart. Slowly perfuse the lungs at approximately 300 &#181;L/s with PBS/heparin. The lungs will frequently turn white. 2.5 mL of PBS are generally used in this step.</li>
	<li>For lung inflation, use a 3 mL syringe with a 22 G needle, this time held parallel to the trachea. Insert the needle into the trachea and inject 10% formalin with rate of flow no greater than ~200 &#181;L/s until the lungs have fully inflated. Once the lungs are inflated, formalin will backflow out of the trachea. Hold the needle in place for a few more seconds and then withdraw.
	<ol>
		<li>(Optional) Prior to withdrawing needle and lung inflation, use suture thread to tie off the trachea. To achieve this, use 4 inches of suture thread holding the point of the thread with a small pair of forceps. Place the thread on the dorsal side of the trachea and pull through to make a loop around the needle. Next make an overhand knot around the needle. Pull knot tight, remove needle from trachea, close knot.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Use forceps to lift the heart, insert surgical scissors directly behind the lungs, and cut connective tissue while the lifting the heart to resect lungs.</li>
	<li>Cut the heart to remove it from lungs.</li>
	<li>Place the lungs a cassette labeled with the mouse ID or study ID. Place the cassette in 10% buffered formalin and fix for 24-48 h. Lungs can be left in fixative for over a year if desired.</li>
	<li>Transfer the cassette containing the lungs to 70% ethanol and proceed to processing for histology.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Hsia, C. C., Hyde, D. M., Ochs, M., Weibel, E. R., Structure, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=An+official+research+policy+statement+of+the+American+Thoracic+Society/European+Respiratory+Society:+standards+for+quantitative+assessment+of+lung+structure.">An official research policy statement of the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society: standards for quantitative assessment of lung structure.</a> American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 181 (4), 394-418 (2010).</li><li>Vasilescu, D. M., Knudsen, L., Ochs, M., Weibel, E. R., Hoffman, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Optimized+murine+lung+preparation+for+detailed+structural+evaluation+via+micro-computed+tomography.">Optimized murine lung preparation for detailed structural evaluation via micro-computed tomography.</a> Journal of Applied Physiology. 112 (1), 159-166 (2012).</li><li>Blumler, P., Acosta, R. H., Thomas-Semm, A., Reuss, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lung+fixation+for+the+preservation+of+air+spaces.">Lung fixation for the preservation of air spaces.</a> Experimental Lung Research. 30 (1), 73-82 (2004).</li><li>Oldmixon, E. H., Suzuki, S., Butler, J. P., Hoppin, F. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Perfusion+dehydration+fixes+elastin+and+preserves+lung+air-space+dimensions.">Perfusion dehydration fixes elastin and preserves lung air-space dimensions.</a> Journal of Applied Physiology. 58 (1), 105-113 (1985).</li><li>Braber, S., Verheijden, K. A., Henricks, P. A., Kraneveld, A. D., Folkerts, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+comparison+of+fixation+methods+on+lung+morphology+in+a+murine+model+of+emphysema.">A comparison of fixation methods on lung morphology in a murine model of emphysema.</a> American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. 299 (6), 843-851 (2010).</li><li>Renne, R., 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=Recommendation+of+optimal+method+for+formalin+fixation+of+rodent+lungs+in+routine+toxicology+studies.">Recommendation of optimal method for formalin fixation of rodent lungs in routine toxicology studies.</a> Toxicologic Pathology. 29 (5), 587-589 (2001).</li><li>Limjunyawong, N., Mock, J., Mitzner, W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Instillation+and+Fixation+Methods+Useful+in+Mouse+Lung+Cancer+Research.">Instillation and Fixation Methods Useful in Mouse Lung Cancer Research.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (102), e52964 (2015).</li><li>Lum, H., Mitzner, W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effects+of+10%+formalin+fixation+on+fixed+lung+volume+and+lung+tissue+shrinkage.+A+comparison+of+eleven+laboratory+species.">Effects of 10% formalin fixation on fixed lung volume and lung tissue shrinkage. A comparison of eleven laboratory species.</a> American Review of Respiratory Disease. 132 (5), 1078-1083 (1985).</li><li>Edmonds, M. D., 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=MicroRNA-31+initiates+lung+tumorigenesis+and+promotes+mutant+KRAS-driven+lung+cancer.">MicroRNA-31 initiates lung tumorigenesis and promotes mutant KRAS-driven lung cancer.</a> Journal of Clinical Investigation. 126 (1), 349-364 (2016).</li><li>Zhao, K., 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=Wogonin+suppresses+melanoma+cell+B16-F10+invasion+and+migration+by+inhibiting+Ras-medicated+pathways.">Wogonin suppresses melanoma cell B16-F10 invasion and migration by inhibiting Ras-medicated pathways.</a> PLoS One. 9 (9), 106458 (2014).</li></ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

The procedure described above for the perfusion, inflation, and fixation of mouse lungs is ideal for quick and efficient preparation of mouse lungs for lung tumor histology and pathology analysis. The procedure does not require any special equipment and can be performed in less than 6 minutes per mouse. The procedure does not require a fixed volume for inflation nor constant fluid pressure. Because this procedure is not standardized, it is not recommended for those wishing to perform stereological or morphometric analyse...

A variety of mouse models of lung oncogenesis and cancer metastasis to the lung exist ranging from complex GEMMs to carcinogen-induced models to syngeneic and xenograft models, where cancer cells are injected via intracardiac, intrathoracic, the tail vein, or other methods to establish tumors within the lung. All these models share the common need for histological evaluation of lung histology and pathology. Thus, it is necessary to have a robust yet rapid method to perform necropsies of mice while perfusing the lungs to remove excess blood, and inflating and fixing the lungs to clearly visualize lung architecture. Speed is a critical component of this procedure as it may be necessary to collect the lungs from dozens of mice at a single time point. This procedure can be performed in less than 6 minutes per mouse.
While this procedure is more than sufficient for evaluating tumor histology, it is not recommended for those who wish to perform stereology or morphometric measurements of the lungs. Such measurements require lung inflation to be standardized, as does the calculation of absolute surface area of the lung, absolute volume, and alveolar size and number1. This method is also not optimal for some imaging approaches. For example, imaging of the lungs via &#181;CT for ex vivo morphometric analysis requires that the lungs remain filled with air2. When the preservation of air spaces and dimensions are the primary concern, it is recommended to fix the lungs by perfusion dehydration techniques3,4. One of the biggest concerns of this model is the potential for rupturing of the alveolar walls, lessening its use in studies of emphysema; however, the recommended procedure for fixation of lungs for the study of emphysema is still quite similar, as it is recommended to fix the lungs either by intratracheal instillation of 10% formalin (similar to the protocol described here) under constant fluid pressure or by in situ fixation5.
The advantage of the described procedure here is that it does not require constant fluid pressure, instead inflating the lungs until they have fully expanded, thus decreasing the time needed for the procedure. The procedure here described closely resembles the methods recommended by an armamentarium of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology, where a subcommittee was formed to recommend the best methods of lung fixation for toxicology studies. The majority of scientists within this subcommittee recommended fixing the lungs by intratracheal instillation with a syringe, though there were varying recommendations on the time the lung was left in the fixative6. Thus, while a variety of methods of lung inflation and fixation exist, the method described herein is proposed to be the optimal method to quickly inflate and fix the lungs for downstream tumor histological evaluation.

<table><tbody><tr><td>10% buffered formalin</td><td>Fisher</td><td>23-245685</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>22 G Needle</td><td>BD</td><td>305155</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>3 mL syringe</td><td>BD</td><td>309656</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>70% Ethanol</td><td>Decon</td><td>2405</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Forceps</td><td>Harvard Apparatus</td><td>72-8595</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Heparin</td><td>Fisher</td><td>H19</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS)</td><td>Corning</td><td>21-030-CV</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Surgical scissors</td><td>Harvard Apparatus</td><td>72-8428</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

perfusion and inflation of the mouse lung for tumor histology

The ability to evaluate lung histology is critical for the fields of lung cancer research and cancer metastasis. It is equally important to perform necropsies rapidly and efficiently from studies without sacrificing the quality of the tissues procured. The goal of this protocol is to present a method to rapidly perfuse, inflate, and fix mouse lungs for downstream histological analysis. This method does not standardize lung inflation; thus, it does not require any special procedures or equipment and instead simply instills fixative directly through the trachea following perfusion through the heart. This allows for sufficient estimation of tumor size, histology, and scoring. This also allows for the collection of frozen tissue prior to lung tissue fixation. This method is limited in that it does not allow for later morphometric quantification of the lung; however, it is more than sufficient for lung tumor analysis from genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs), syngeneic models, as well as xenograft tumor and metastasis studies.

The above protocol allows for quick perfusion, inflation, and fixation of mouse lungs. The figures shown below represent the importance of each step. Figure 1 depicts H&#38;E stained lungs that have been perfused with PBS and lungs in which the perfusion step has been skipped or the lungs failed to perfuse correctly. As shown, excess blood in the poorly perfused lungs creates less than ideal histology and can make it challenging to fully observe lung architecture. Figure...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Perfusion and Inflation of the Mouse Lung for Tumor Histology at JoVE.com

Perfusion and Inflation of the Mouse Lung for Tumor Histology

The purpose of this method is to present a simple and efficient method for the perfusion, inflation, and fixation of mouse lungs for the examination of lung tumor pathology and evaluation of metastases to the lung.

The ability to evaluate lung histology is critical for the fields of lung cancer research and cancer metastasis. It is equally important to perform ...

perfusion-and-inflation-of-the-mouse-lung-for-tumor-histology

Research

JoVE Journal

Cancer Research

18.1K Views.  University of Alabama at Birmingham. The purpose of this method is to present a simple and efficient method for the perfusion, inflation, and fixation of mouse lungs for the examination of lung tumor pathology and evaluation of metastases to the lung.

Video: Perfusion and Inflation of the Mouse Lung for Tumor Histology

Long-term High-Resolution Intravital Microscopy in the Lung with a Vacuum Stabilized Imaging Window

Metastasis to secondary sites such as the lung, liver and bone is a traumatic event with a mortality rate of approximately 90% 1. Of these sites, the lung is the most difficult to assess using intravital optical imaging due to its enclosed position within the body, delicate nature and vital role in sustaining proper physiology. While clinical modalities (positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT)) are capable of providing noninvasive images of this tissue, they lack the resolution necessary to visualize the earliest seeding events, with a single pixel consisting of nearly a thousand cells. Current models of metastatic lung seeding postulate that events just after a tumor cell&#39;s arrival are deterministic for survival and subsequent growth. This means that real-time intravital imaging tools with single cell resolution 2 are required in order to define the phenotypes of the seeding cells and test these models. While high resolution optical imaging of the lung has been performed using various ex vivo preparations, these experiments are typically single time-point assays and are susceptible to artifacts and possible erroneous conclusions due to the dramatically altered environment (temperature, profusion, cytokines, etc.) resulting from removal from the chest cavity and circulatory system 3. Recent work has shown that time-lapse intravital optical imaging of the intact lung is possible using a vacuum stabilized imaging window 2,4,5 however, typical imaging times have been limited to approximately 6 hr. Here we describe a protocol for performing long-term intravital time-lapse imaging of the lung utilizing such a window over a period of 12 hr. The time-lapse image sequences obtained using this method enable visualization and quantitation of cell-cell interactions, membrane dynamics and vascular perfusion in the lung. We further describe an image processing technique that gives an unprecedentedly clear view of the lung microvasculature.

This protocol describes the use of multiphoton microscopy to perform long-term high-resolution, single cell imaging of the intact lung in real time using a vacuum stabilized imaging window.

Metastasis to secondary sites such as the lung, liver and bone is a traumatic event with a mortality rate of approximately 90% 1. Of these sites, the lung ...

Utilizing 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging and Quantitative Histology to Measure Dynamic Changes in the Glucose Metabolism in Mouse Models of Lung Cancer

A hallmark of advanced tumors is a switch to aerobic glycolysis that is readily measured by [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) imaging. Co-mutations in the KRAS proto-oncogene and the LKB1 tumor suppressor gene are frequent events in lung cancer that drive hypermetabolic, glycolytic tumor growth. A critical pathway regulating the growth and metabolism of these tumors is the mechanistic target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, which can be effectively targeted using selective catalytic mTOR kinase inhibitors. The mTOR inhibitor MLN0128 suppresses glycolysis in mice bearing tumors with Kras and Lkb1 co-mutations, referred to as KL mice. The therapy response in KL mice is first measured by 18F-FDG PET and computed tomography (CT) imaging before and after the delivery of MLN0128. By utilizing 18F-FDG PET/CT, researchers are able to measure dynamic changes in the glucose metabolism in genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of lung cancer following a therapeutic intervention with targeted therapies. This is followed by ex vivo autoradiography and a quantitative immunohistochemical (qIHC) analysis using morphometric software. The use of qIHC enables the detection and quantification of distinct changes in the biomarker profiles following treatment as well as the characterization of distinct tumor pathologies. The coupling of PET imaging to quantitative histology is an effective strategy to identify metabolic and therapeutic responses in vivo in mouse models of disease.

Utilizing 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging and Quantitative Histology to Measure Dynamic Changes in the Glucose Metabolism in Mouse Models of Lung Cancer

In this protocol, we describe how to utilize [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) imaging to measure the tumor metabolic response to the targeted therapy MLN0128 in a Kras/Lkb1 mutant mouse model of lung cancer and coupled imaging with high resolution ex vivo autoradiography and quantitative histology.

A hallmark of advanced tumors is a switch to aerobic glycolysis that is readily measured by [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography ...

Improved Visualization of Lung Metastases at Single Cell Resolution in Mice by Combined In-situ Perfusion of Lung Tissue and X-Gal Staining of lacZ-Tagged Tumor Cells

Metastasis is the main cause of death in the majority of cancer types and consequently a main focus in cancer research. However, the detection of micrometastases by radiologic imaging and the success in their therapeutic eradication remain limited.
While animal models have proven to be invaluable tools for cancer research1, the monitoring/visualization of micrometastases remains a challenge and inaccurate evaluation of metastatic spread in preclinical studies potentially leads to disappointing results in clinical trials2. Consequently, there is great interest in refining the methods to finally allow reproducible and reliable detection of metastases down to the single cell level in normal tissue. The main focus therefore is on techniques, which allow the detection of tumor cells in vivo, like micro-computer tomography (micro-CT), positron emission tomography (PET), bioluminescence or fluorescence imaging3,4. We are currently optimizing these techniques for in vivo monitoring of primary tumor growth and metastasis in different osteosarcoma models. Some of these techniques can also be used for ex vivo analysis of metastasis beside classical methods like qPCR5, FACS6 or different types of histological staining. As a benchmark, we have established in the present study the stable transfection or transduction of tumor cells with the lacZ gene encoding the bacterial enzyme &beta;-galactosidase that metabolizes the chromogenic substrate 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (X-Gal) to an insoluble indigo blue dye7 and allows highly sensitive and selective histochemical blue staining of tumor cells in mouse tissue ex vivo down to the single cell level as shown here. This is a low-cost and not equipment-intensive tool, which allows precise validation of metastasis8 in studies assessing new anticancer therapies9-11. A limiting factor of X-gal staining is the low contrast to e.g. blood-related red staining of well vascularized tissues. In lung tissue this problem can be solved by in-situ lung perfusion, a technique that was recently established by Borsig et al.12 who perfused the lungs of mice under anesthesia to clear them from blood and to fix and embed them in-situ under inflation through the trachea. This method prevents also the collapse of the lung and thereby maintains the morphology of functional lung alveoli, which improves the quality of the tissue for histological analysis. In the present study, we describe a new protocol, which takes advantage of a combination of X-gal staining of lacZ-expressing tumor cells and in-situ perfusion and fixation of lung tissue. This refined protocol allows high-sensitivity detection of single metastatic cells in the lung and enabled us in a recent study to detect "dormant" lung micrometastases in a mouse model13, which was originally described to be non-metastatic14.

Improved Visualization of Lung Metastases at Single Cell Resolution in Mice by Combined In-situ Perfusion of Lung Tissue and X-Gal Staining of lacZ-Tagged Tumor Cells

The novel protocol reported in the present study allows selective detection of lung metastases at single cell resolution in mice by combined in-situ lung perfusion and fixation and X-Gal staining of lacZ-tagged tumor cells.

Metastasis is the main cause of death in the majority of cancer types and consequently a main focus in cancer research. However, the detection of ...

Medicine

A Standardized Method for Measuring Internal Lung Surface Area via Mouse Pneumonectomy and Prosthesis Implantation

Pulmonary morphology, physiology, and respiratory functions change in both physiological and pathological conditions. Internal lung surface area (ISA), representing the gas-exchange capacity of the lung, is a critical criterion to assess respiratory function. However, observer bias can significantly influence measured values for lung morphological parameters. The protocol that we describe here minimizes variations during measurements of two morphological parameters used for ISA calculation: internal lung volume (ILV) and mean linear intercept (MLI). Using ISA as a morphometric and functional parameter to determine the outcome of alveolar regeneration in both pneumonectomy (PNX) and prosthesis implantation mouse models, we found that the increased ISA following PNX treatment was significantly blocked by implantation of a prosthesis into the thoracic cavity1. The ability to accurately quantify ISA is not only expected to improve the reliability and reproducibility of lung function studies in injured-induced alveolar regeneration models, but also to promote mechanistic discoveries of multiple pulmonary diseases.

Internal lung surface area (ISA) is a critical criterion for assessing lung morphology and physiology in lung diseases and injury-induced alveolar regeneration. We describe here a standardized method that can minimize the measurement bias for ISA in both lung pneumonectomy and prosthesis implantation mouse models.

Pulmonary morphology, physiology, and respiratory functions change in both physiological and pathological conditions. Internal lung surface area (ISA), ...

Developmental Biology

Instillation and Fixation Methods Useful in Mouse Lung Cancer Research

The ability to instill live agents, cells, or chemicals directly into the lung without injuring or killing the mice is an important tool in lung cancer research. Although there are a number of methods that have been published showing how to intubate mice for pulmonary function measurements, none are without potential problems for rapid tracheal instillation in large cohorts of mice. In the present paper, a simple and quick method is described that enables an investigator to carry out such instillations in an efficient manner. The method does not require any special tools or lighting and can be learned with very little practice. It involves anesthetizing a mouse, making a small incision in the neck to visualize the trachea, and then inserting an intravenous catheter directly. The small incision is quickly closed with tissue adhesive, and the mice are allowed to recover. A skilled student or technician can do instillations at an average rate of 2 min/mouse. Once the cancer is established, there is frequently a need for quantitative histologic analysis of the lungs. Traditionally pathologists usually do not bother to standardize lung inflation during fixation, and analyses are often based on a scoring system that can be quite subjective. While this may sometime be sufficiently adequate for gross estimates of the size of a lung tumor, any proper stereological quantification of lung structure or cells requires a reproducible fixation procedure and subsequent lung volume measurement. Here we describe simple reliable procedures for both fixing the lungs under pressure and then accurately measuring the fixed lung volume. The only requirement is a laboratory balance that is accurate over a range of 1 mg&#8211;300 g. The procedures presented here thus could greatly improve the ability to create, treat, and analyze lung cancers in mice.

The goal of this paper is to describe simple methods that will greatly aid in the setup and analysis of mouse lungs with lung cancer or other pathologies. We present 3 protocols to simply and reliably carry out lung instillations, fixation, and lung volume measurements.

The ability to instill live agents, cells, or chemicals directly into the lung without injuring or killing the mice is an important tool in lung cancer ...

Pre-Conditioning the Airways of Mice with Bleomycin Increases the Efficiency of Orthotopic Lung Cancer Cell Engraftment

Lung cancer is a deadly treatment refractory disease that is biologically heterogeneous. To understand and effectively treat the full clinical spectrum of thoracic malignancies, additional animal models that can recapitulate diverse human lung cancer subtypes and stages are needed. Allograft or xenograft models are versatile and enable the quantification of tumorigenic capacity in vivo, using malignant cells of either murine or human origin. However, previously described methods of lung cancer cell engraftment have been performed in non-physiological sites, such as the flank of mice, due to the inefficiency of orthotopic transplantation of cells into the lungs. In this study, we describe a method to enhance orthotopic lung cancer cell engraftment by pre-conditioning the airways of mice with the fibrosis inducing agent bleomycin. As a proof-of-concept experiment, we applied this approach to engraft tumor cells of the lung adenocarcinoma subtype, obtained from either mouse or human sources, into various strains of mice. We demonstrate that injuring the airways with bleomycin prior to tumor cell injection increases the engraftment of tumor cells from 0-17% to 71-100%. Significantly, this method enhanced lung tumor incidence and subsequent outgrowth using different models and mouse strains. In addition, engrafted lung cancer cells disseminate from the lungs into relevant distant organs. Thus, we provide a protocol that can be used to establish and maintain new orthotopic models of lung cancer with limiting amounts of cells or biospecimen and to quantitatively assess the tumorigenic capacity of lung cancer cells in physiologically relevant settings.

We describe a method to significantly enhance orthotopic engraftment of lung cancer cells into the murine lungs by pre-conditioning the airways with injury. This approach may also be applied to study stromal interactions within the lung microenvironment, metastatic dissemination, lung cancer co-morbidities, and to more efficiently generate patient derived xenografts.

Lung cancer is a deadly treatment refractory disease that is biologically heterogeneous. To understand and effectively treat the full clinical spectrum of ...

Air-Inflation of Murine Lungs with Vascular Perfusion-Fixation

Lung histology is often used to investigate the contributions provided by airspace cells during lung homeostasis and disease pathogenesis. However, commonly used instillation-based fixation methods can displace airspace cells and mucus into terminal airways and can alter tissue morphology. In comparison, vascular perfusion-fixation techniques are superior at preserving the location and morphology of cells within airspaces and the mucosal lining. However, if positive airway pressure is not simultaneously applied, regions of the lungs may collapse and capillaries may bulge into the alveolar spaces, leading to distortion of the lung anatomy. Herein, we describe an inexpensive method for air-inflation during vascular perfusion-fixation to preserve the morphology and location of airway and alveolar cells and interstitium in murine lungs for downstream histologic studies. Constant air pressure is delivered to the lungs via the trachea from a sealed, air-filled chamber that maintains pressure via an adjustable liquid column while fixative is perfused through the right ventricle.

Presented is a method for air-inflation with vascular perfusion-fixation of the lungs that preserves the location of cells within airways, alveoli and interstitium for structure-function analyses. Constant airway pressure is maintained with an air-inflation chamber while fixative is perfused via the right ventricle. Lungs are processed for histologic studies.

Lung histology is often used to investigate the contributions provided by airspace cells during lung homeostasis and disease pathogenesis. However, ...

Neuroscience

Real-Time Monitoring of Cellular Dynamics in Mouse Lung Transplantation

Intravital Two-Photon Microscopy of the Transplanted Mouse Lung

Complications after lung transplantation are largely related to the host immune system responding to the graft. Such immune responses are regulated by crosstalk between donor and recipient cells. A better understanding of these processes relies on the use of preclinical animal models and is aided by an ability to study intra-graft immune cell trafficking in real-time. Intravital two-photon microscopy can be used to image tissues and organs for depths up to several hundred microns with minimal photodamage, which affords a great advantage over single-photon confocal microscopy. Selective use of transgenic mice with promoter-specific fluorescent protein expression and/or adoptive transfer of fluorescent dye-labeled cells during intravital two-photon microscopy allows for the dynamic study of single cells within their physiologic environment. Our group has developed a technique to stabilize mouse lungs, which has enabled us to image cellular dynamics in na&#239;ve lungs and orthotopically transplanted pulmonary grafts. This technique allows for detailed assessment of cellular behavior within the vasculature and in the interstitium, as well as for examination of interactions between various cell populations. This procedure can be readily learned and adapted to study immune mechanisms that regulate inflammatory and tolerogenic responses after lung transplantation. It can also be expanded to the study of other pathogenic pulmonary conditions.

Author Spotlight: Advancing Lung Transplant Immunology Through Intravital Imaging

Here, we present a protocol to intravitally image the transplanted mouse left lung using two-photon microscopy. This represents a valuable tool for studying cellular dynamics and interactions in real-time following murine lung transplantation.

Complications after lung transplantation are largely related to the host immune system responding to the graft. Such immune responses are regulated by ...

Utilizing the Precision-Cut Lung Slice to Study the Contractile Regulation of Airway and Intrapulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle

Smooth muscle cells (SMC) mediate the contraction of the airway and the intrapulmonary artery to modify airflow resistance and pulmonary circulation, respectively, hence playing a critical role in the homeostasis of the pulmonary system. Deregulation of SMC contractility contributes to several pulmonary diseases, including asthma and pulmonary hypertension. However, due to limited tissue access and a lack of culture systems to maintain in vivo SMC phenotypes, molecular mechanisms underlying the deregulated SMC contractility in these diseases remain fully identified. The precision-cut lung slice (PCLS) offers an ex vivo model that circumvents these technical difficulties. As a live, thin lung tissue section, the PCLS retains SMC in natural surroundings and allows in situ tracking of SMC contraction and intracellular Ca2+ signaling that regulates SMC contractility. Here, a detailed mouse PCLS preparation protocol is provided, which preserves intact airways and intrapulmonary arteries. This protocol involves two essential steps before subjecting the lung lobe to slicing: inflating the airway with low-melting-point agarose through the trachea and infilling pulmonary vessels with gelatin through the right ventricle. The PCLS prepared using this protocol can be used for bioassays to evaluate Ca2+-mediated contractile regulation of SMC in both the airway and the intrapulmonary arterial compartments. When applied to mouse models of respiratory diseases, this protocol enables the functional investigation of SMC, thereby providing insight into the underlying mechanism of SMC contractility deregulation in diseases.

The present protocol describes preparing and utilizing mouse precision-cut lung slices to assess the airway and intrapulmonary arterial smooth muscle contractility in a nearly in vivo milieu.

Smooth muscle cells (SMC) mediate the contraction of the airway and the intrapulmonary artery to modify airflow resistance and pulmonary circulation, ...

Biology

Whole Lung Agarose Inflation: A Method of Preparing  Lungs for Ex vivo Live Imaging

Source: Van den Bijgaart R.J.E. et al., <a href="https://www.jove.com/v/53741/ex-vivo-live-imaging-of-lung-metastasis-and-their-microenvironment">Ex vivo&#160;Live Imaging of Lung Metastasis and Their Microenvironment</a>, J. Vis. Exp. (2016)
This video describes a method of preparing lungs for ex vivo live imaging to study interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells, using agarose for inflation. In the sample protocol, agarose inflation procedure is described before observing live cellular interactions.

Source: Van den Bijgaart R.J.E. et al., Ex vivo&#160;Live Imaging of Lung Metastasis and Their Microenvironment, J. Vis. Exp. (2016)
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Perfusion and Inflation of the Mouse Lung for Tumor Histology

Summary

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Chapters in this video

Long-term High-Resolution Intravital Microscopy in the Lung with a Vacuum Stabilized Imaging Window

Utilizing ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT Imaging and Quantitative Histology to Measure Dynamic Changes in the Glucose Metabolism in Mouse Models of Lung Cancer

Improved Visualization of Lung Metastases at Single Cell Resolution in Mice by Combined In-situ Perfusion of Lung Tissue and X-Gal Staining of lacZ-Tagged Tumor Cells

A Standardized Method for Measuring Internal Lung Surface Area via Mouse Pneumonectomy and Prosthesis Implantation

Instillation and Fixation Methods Useful in Mouse Lung Cancer Research

Pre-Conditioning the Airways of Mice with Bleomycin Increases the Efficiency of Orthotopic Lung Cancer Cell Engraftment

Air-Inflation of Murine Lungs with Vascular Perfusion-Fixation

Intravital Two-Photon Microscopy of the Transplanted Mouse Lung

Utilizing the Precision-Cut Lung Slice to Study the Contractile Regulation of Airway and Intrapulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle

Whole Lung Agarose Inflation: A Method of Preparing Lungs for Ex vivo Live Imaging