title: Bioluminescence imaging correlates with tumor progression in an orthotopic mouse model of lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether bioluminescence imaging of human lung cancer cells growing in an orthotopic murine model provides a sensitive tool for monitoring tumor progression in athymic nude mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human lung cancer (A549) cells were stably transfected with the firefly luciferase gene and inoculated into the right lung of athymic nude mice. Seven days after inoculation tumor growth was evaluated using the Kodak in-vivo Imaging System FX and continued to be monitored on a weekly basis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In duplicate experiments, human lung cancer tumors formed in 90% of animal's injected orthotopically. The mean intensity of the bioluminescence signal emitted from the lung cancer cells increased logarithmically during the course of study. Mice with positive bioluminescence signaling had confirmed tumors by microscopic histological analysis. Bioluminescence activity had a strong correlation with the tumor volume as determined histologically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bioluminescence intensity directly correlates with tumor volume and therefore offers a reliable approach for detecting and monitoring the growth of human lung cancer cells in orthotopic murine models.
authors.affiliation: M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, Cancer Research Institute, 6900 Lake Nona Boulevard, 5th Floor, Orlando, FL 32827, USA.
authors.forename: Rafael A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Madero-Visbal
authors.forename: Jimmie F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Colon
authors.forename: Ingrid C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: Arati
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Limaye
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Arlen
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: Cheryl H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D008156:Luciferases