title: Tumor growth in a defined microcirculation.
abstract: The fate of human tumor cells deposited in rat uteri was investigated by light microscopy of histological sections, immunohistochemistry, and scanning electron microscopy of microvascular corrosion casts. The human colonic tumor cell line LS 174 T was used as graft since it can be detected by CEA immunohistochemistry, and spayed nude rats (PVG rnu/rnu) were used as hosts, subjected to different hormonal regimens (no exogenous hormones, medroxyprogesterone acetate, 17-beta-estradiol, or the last two regimens in combination). Intrauterine deposition of a suspension of 2 x 10(6) tumor cells resulted in tumor take in 72% (21/29) of the nude rats. Endometrial growth was verified in only three animals (14%, 3/21). Extraendometrial growth, however, was found in all animals with tumor take. These observations suggest that the endometrium is comparatively resistant to growth of xenografted human colonic tumor cells. The tumor microcirculation consisted of new vessels, giving morphological evidence that tumor growth is dependent on angiogenesis and not on invasion of preexisting vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Children's Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Christofferson
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Sköldenberg
authors.forename: B O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Nilsson
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms; D016319:Corrosion Casting; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D011923:Rats, Nude; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured