A highly predictable animal model of retinoblastoma.
A new animal model of retinoblastoma was developed in newborn inbred CDF rats by intravitreous inoculation of retinal tumor cells (5 X 10(4)/5 microliter) derived from the cultured tumor cell line EXP-5. The retinal tumor from which the cell line originated was induced by a single intravitreous inoculation of human adenovirus serotype 12 (5 microliter of 10(8) TCID 50/0.1 ml) in syngeneic rats. Within 1 month after intravitreous inoculation of EXP-5 cells, a clinically recognizable ocular tumor was obtained in all 39 rats. Ad 12-specific T-antigens were demonstrated in the cultured tumor cells using immunofluorescent techniques. Morphologically these tumor cells closely resembled retinoblastoma, with poorly differentiated intracytoplasmic organelles, solitary cilia with a 9 + 0 tubule pattern, and abnormal nuclear membrane associated with a set of basal bodies. The significance of this highly manipulable retinal tumor cell line is the capability of providing a full-fledged intravitreous tumor in 1-month-old CDF rats, whose actual life span is known to be 42 months. Transplantable retinal tumors described to date are reviewed briefly and compared with the presently reported cell line.
D000260:Adenoviruses, Human; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000473:pathology*