A model for osseous metastasis of human breast cancer established by intrafemur injection of the MDA-MB-435 cells in nude mice.
BACKGROUND
A nude mouse model was developed and studied for temporal pathogenesis of bony metastasis of human breast cancer.


METHODS
Human breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-435, were injected into the medulla of left femurs of 10 Beige nude mice, whereas their right femurs were similarly injected with phosphate buffered saline as a control. The mice were killed at 1 week-intervals for up to 5 weeks.


RESULTS
Tumors appeared in all the animals 3 weeks after the injection: they began to appear in the medulla at 2 weeks, and invasion of the tumor into the cortex and surrounding tissues of the bone appeared at 4 weeks. Both osteolytic and osteoblastic activation frequently observed in the affected bone of breast cancer patients were present.


CONCLUSIONS
This model produces a high incidence of bony metastasis and may be appropriate for the study of osseous metastasis of this human disease.
Wang
C Y
CY
Department of Urology, State University of New York Health Science Center, Syracuse 13210, USA.
Chang
Y W
YW
D000818:Animals; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005269:Femur; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured