title: Hemostatic gelatin sponge is a superior matrix to matrigel for establishment of LNCaP human prostate cancer in nude mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Matrigels, solubilized basement membrane preparations, are often used to support tumor development in animal models. However, tumors formed by a mixture of tumor cells and Matrigel may vary significantly. The purpose of this study was to compare tumor development and growth of LNCaP human prostate cancer cells mixed with Matrigel or in gelatin sponges.
  
  
  METHODS
  LNCaP cells were mixed with Matrigel or absorbed into VETSPON, a gelatin sponge, and inoculated into the subcutis of nude mice. Tumor incidence and growth rate were determined. Gene expression and cell growth and survival in tumor lesions were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunoblotting, and RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All mice (12/12) inoculated with LNCaP cells in VETSPON produced tumors, compared to 70% (19/27) of mice injected with the cells with Matrigel. Tumor volume also varied less with VETSPON implants. No significant differences were observed in gene expression, cell growth, apoptosis, and microvessel density in tumors established from the two types of implants. However, in samples collected on days 1 and 4, more cells in Matrigel implants than those in VETSPON implants were stained positive for cleaved-caspase 3 and -PARP1. Expression of VEGF-A, HIF-1α, and Bcl-2 was elevated in the early VETSPON implants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate that VETSPON promotes tumor cell survival at the early stage of implantation and suggest that the gelatin sponge is superior to Matrigel in supporting development and progression of human prostate cancer in nude mice. This model should be useful for preclinical studies in nude mice using LNCaP cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of Cincinnati Cancer Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Pingping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zongqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhongyun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D003094:Collagen; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005781:Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable; D015870:Gene Expression; D006490:Hemostatics; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D000071137:Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011509:Proteoglycans; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006490:Hemostatics; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; C059485:matrigel; D003094:Collagen; C499321:Parp1 protein, mouse; D000071137:Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; D053148:Caspase 3