[Bone metastasis of lung cancer in a mouse model with normal immune function].
OBJECTIVE
To establish a model bearing human lung cancer xenograft with bone metastasis in mice with normal immune function.


METHODS
Forty female C57BL/6J mice were randomly allocated into 4 equal groups, including a control group and 3 immunosuppression groups treated with low, moderate, and high doses of dexamethasone (50, 100, and 150 mg, respectively). Four days after immune suppression, the mice were subjected to percutaneous injection of1.0×10(9) L(-1) A549 cells into the tibial plateau, and the bone defects were assessed radiographically 28 days after modeling. HE staining and immunohistochemical staining were used to examine the tumor tissues and bone tissue damages.


RESULTS
In each of the 4 groups one mouse died during tumor cell injection. Only 1 mouse showed tumor formation in low-dose immunosuppression group, as compared to 7 and 4 in moderate- and high-dose immunosuppression groups. X-ray and microCT scan showed significant tibial bone destruction in moderate- and high-dose groups. The moderate- and high-dose groups showed similar ALP activities but both were significantly higher than those in the other two groups (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Immunosuppression with a moderate dose of dexamethasone results in longer survival time of the human lung cancer xenograft-bearing model mice as well as a higher tumor formation rate.
Department of Spinal Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. E-mail: mengspine@163.com.
Yue
Y
Meng
Chunyu
C
Li
Song
S
Hao
Shaoyu
S
Hu
Zhen
Z
Lin
Liang
L
Yuan
Wei
W
Li
Wenjuan
W
Yan
Jianting
J
Chen
Dehong
D
Yang
D000818:Animals; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation
D003907:Dexamethasone