Animal Modeling—Tumor Disease Models



Product Manager: Harrison Michael


Animal tumor models are one of the indispensable technical platforms in modern oncology research, widely used in the fields of tumor occurrence mechanism research, new drug screening, pharmacological and toxicological evaluation, immunotherapy validation, and translational medicine exploration. Suitable animal models should not only reproduce the histological and biological characteristics of human tumors but also possess good reproducibility and experimental controllability. This article will systematically review the main types of tumor animal models and their construction techniques, covering aspects such as experimental animal selection, modeling methods, technical operations, application scenarios, and the advantages and disadvantages of the models.


I. Spontaneous Tumor Models

1. Model Overview

Spontaneous tumor models refer to tumors that occur naturally in experimental animals without any external intervention. They are often used to study the natural occurrence of tumors and their correlation with genetic backgrounds.

2. Common Animals

Inbred mice are mainly used, such as C3H, BALB/c, and A/J strains. These mice can develop breast cancer, lung cancer, and lymphoma under high age or specific genetic backgrounds.

3. Advantages and Limitations

Advantages:

·Tumor occurrence is natural, with biological characteristics close to those of human tumors.

·Suitable for long-term efficacy evaluation and chronic disease model research.

·Facilitates the study of interactions between environmental carcinogens and genetic factors.

Limitations:

·Low and unstable tumor incidence.

·Long modeling cycle and high cost.

·Difficult to standardize, with poor reproducibility in experiments.


II. Induced Tumor Models

1. Model Principle

Tumors are artificially induced in animals through physical, chemical, or biological carcinogens. This model is highly controllable and reproducible and is widely used in carcinogenesis and prevention research.

2. Modeling Methods

(1)Chemical Carcinogen Induction

·Common Carcinogens: Diethyl nitrosamine (DEN), aflatoxin B1, benzo[a]pyrene, methylcholanthrene (MC), nitrosamines, etc.

·Application Examples:

o Hepatocellular Carcinoma Model: DEN is used to induce liver cancer in rats through drinking water or gavage, often in combination with 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) for co-modeling.

o Lung Cancer Model: Urethane is injected intraperitoneally to induce adenocarcinoma in mice.

o Esophageal Cancer Model: Methylbenzylnitrosamine (MBNA) is used to induce squamous cell carcinoma in rats.

(2)Physical Carcinogenesis

Utilizing radiation (X-rays, γ-rays) or local implantation of radioactive isotopes.

(3)Biological Carcinogenesis

·Virus-Induced Carcinogenesis: Such as SV40, mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV).

·Transgenic Models: Constructing genetically modified animals with tumor-related promoters driving oncogenes (e.g., SV40T, Wnt-1).

3. Carcinogen Administration Methods

·Topical Application: Commonly used for skin cancer modeling.

·Injection: Including subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, and intravenous injection.

·Drinking Water/Feed Incorporation.

·Tracheal Instillation: For lung cancer modeling.

·Suture Implantation: For cervical cancer modeling.

4. Characteristics

Advantages: Strong controllability of the model, suitable for targeted organ modeling, with clear pathological features.

Disadvantages: Long experimental cycle, significant ethical concerns, and interspecies differences.

 

III. Transplanted Tumor Models

1. Model Concept

Tumor tissues or cell lines are artificially transplanted into recipient animals (allograft or xenograft) through physical, chemical, or biological carcinogens to construct standardized tumor models.

2. Model Classification

(1)Syngeneic Models:

For example, injecting Lewis lung cancer cells into C57BL/6 mice or inoculating 4T1 breast cancer cells into BALB/c mice. These models are suitable for mice with intact immune systems.

(2)Xenograft Models:

Human tumor cells or tissues are transplanted into immunodeficient mice (e.g., Nude, NOD/SCID mice) to construct models widely used for anti-cancer drug screening.

(3)Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) Models:

Tumor tissues are directly taken from patients and transplanted subcutaneously or into the original site in immunodeficient mice. These models highly preserve tumor heterogeneity and tissue structure and are suitable for personalized medical research.

3. Modeling Methods

(1)Tumor Tissue Grafting:

Tumor tissues are minced and implanted subcutaneously or in situ (e.g., pancreatic cancer in situ model). This method preserves the tumor stroma structure and simulates a more realistic environment.

(2)Cell Suspension Injection:

Cultured tumor cells are made into a suspension and injected subcutaneously, intraperitoneally, intravenously, or into specific organs for inoculation.

4. Advantages and Limitations

Advantages:

·Simple experimental operations and high standardization.

·Suitable for rapid drug efficacy evaluation and drug screening.

·Real-time monitoring of tumor progression can be achieved through labeling techniques (e.g., luciferase labeling).

Limitations:

·Immune-deficient background in xenograft models.

·Inability to fully simulate the human tumor microenvironment.

·PDX models are complex to operate and costly.


IV. Selection and Application Recommendations for Tumor Models

Research Direction

Recommended Model Type

Characteristics

Drug Screening

Xenograft Models, PDX Models

High throughput, reproducibility

Pathogenesis Study

Induced Models, Spontaneous Models

Close to the natural process

Immunotherapy

Syngeneic Models

Retains the immune system

Personalized Treatment

PDX Models

Retains patient tumor characteristics

Molecular Mechanism Study

Transgenic Models

Gene targeting and controllability


V. Conclusion and Future Outlook

The development of animal tumor models is advancing towards greater precision, personalization, and complexity. From classical chemical induction models to transgenic technology and PDX models, researchers can flexibly choose suitable model types according to their experimental objectives. It is worth noting that to better simulate the complex microenvironment of human tumors, cutting-edge technologies such as multicellular co-culture models, humanized mouse models, and 3D bioprinting are gradually being integrated into the animal modeling system.

Aladdin can provide a full range of reagent support for tumor model construction, including high-purity chemical carcinogens (such as DEN, aflatoxin B1), transfection reagents, and cell culture-related products. We welcome collaboration to help you efficiently advance your tumor research projects!


Aladdin:https://www.aladdinsci.com/