Rabbit VX2 lung tumor models can form early nodal metastases

• Published in: World journal of surgical oncology Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 231
• Main Authors: Gregor, Alexander, Fujino, Kosuke, Bernards, Nicholas, Kinoshita, Tomonari, Motooka, Yamato, Inage, Terunaga, Ishiwata, Tsukasa, Chen, Zhenchian, Ujiie, Hideki, Lee, Chang Young, Yasufuku, Kazuhiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 29.12.2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Anesthesia; Animal; Animal models; Animals; Cancer metastasis; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; CAT scans; Cell Line, Tumor; Computed tomography; Cytokeratin; Disease models; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Immunohistochemistry; Inoculation; Keratin; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lymph nodes; Lymph Nodes - diagnostic imaging; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymphatic Metastasis; Lymphatic system; Medical prognosis; Metastases; Metastasis; Nodal metastasis; Novels; Rabbits; Statistical analysis; Technical Innovations; Tomography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Tumors; United States > US; Japan; Nodal metastasis; Rabbits; Disease models; Animal; Lung cancer
• ISSN: 1477-7819; 1477-7819
• DOI: 10.1186/s12957-019-1774-6

The rabbit squamous cell cancer line, VX2, has been used to generate various tumor models in rabbits. It is notable for its ability to generate nodal metastases. However, the timing and extent of nodal metastases vary by primary inoculation site and methodology. The development of metastases specifically in lung cancer models has not been well-described. We sought to characterize the generation of nodal metastases in rabbit transbronchial VX2 lung tumor models. Rabbit VX2 lung tumor models were created in the right lung via transbronchial injection and serially imaged by computed tomography. Rabbits (n = 15) were sacrificed from between 5 and 24 days post-inoculation for collection of the ipsilateral and contralateral paratracheal lymph nodes. These underwent histopathological evaluation for metastases using hematoxylin and eosin as well as cytokeratin AE1/AE3 immunohistochemical staining. Nodal metastases were detectable as early as 1 week after inoculation but were more prevalent with longer inoculation; all rabbits at > 2 weeks post-inoculation had nodal metastases. Contralateral metastases were in general seen later than ipsilateral metastases. Lymph node volume did not predict the likelihood of nodal metastases (p = 0.4 and p = 0.07 for ipsilateral and contralateral nodal metastases, respectively), but primary tumor volume was significantly associated with the likelihood of nodal metastases (p = 0.001 and p = 0.005 for ipsilateral and contralateral nodal metastases, respectively). Ipsilateral metastases were detectable at a tumor diameter of 1 cm; contralateral metastases were more variable but in general required a tumor diameter of 2 cm. Rabbit transbronchial VX2 lung tumor models generate nodal metastases relatively early after inoculation. These results suggest such models may be valuable tools in the investigation of novel therapeutic modalities relevant for the treatment of both early-stage and locally advanced lung cancer.