Establishment of a nude mice model of human monocytic leukemia with CNS and multiorgan extramedullary infiltration.
OBJECTIVE
To establish a human monocytic leukemia model with central nervous system infiltration in BALB/c nude mice.


METHODS
BALB/c nu/nu mice, pretreated by splenectomy, cytoxan intraperitoneal injection, and sublethal irradiation, were transplanted intravenously with human monocytic leukemic cell line SHI-1. The leukemic cells engrafted in the mice were traced by RT-PCR, histopathological examination, immunohistochemistry and FCM.


RESULTS
After engraftment of SHI-1 cells in SCI-nu/nu mice, multiple organs were involved and green solid neoplasms were formed in some organs. Paralysis was developed in some mice at both of the rear legs. Histopathological examination found that vertebral and skull bone marrow were replaced by leukemic cells. Leukemic cells penetrated to the surface of vertebrae, forming neoplasm, and entering to the subdural space, but seldom involving in the spinal parenchyma. In the brain, leukemic cells filled in the subdural space and pia-arachnoid, covered the surface of cerebrum, cerebellum and along the virchow-robin space on the surface of pia mater, eventually invading into the brain parenchyma.


CONCLUSIONS
SHI-1 cells could engraft in the SCI-nu/nu mice, creating an efficient and reproducible experimental model of central nervous system leukemia (CNSL) and multiorgan infiltration. This experimental model may be useful for studies on the pathogenesis of CNSL.
Li
Zhenjiang
Z
Leukemia Research Unit, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Suzhou, China.
Chen
Zixing
Z
Lu
Jun
J
Cen
Jiannong
J
He
Jun
J
Chen
Suning
S
Xue
Yongquan
Y
Guo
Lingchuan
L
D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000473:pathology*; D017254:Leukemic Infiltration / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology; D013156:Splenectomy; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014781:Viscera / Q000473:pathology; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D003520:Cyclophosphamide