title: Use of high frequency ultrasound to monitor cervical lymph node alterations in mice.
abstract: Cervical lymph node evaluation by clinical ultrasound is a non-invasive procedure used in diagnosing nodal status, and when combined with fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), provides an effective method to assess nodal pathologies. Development of high-frequency ultrasound (HF US) allows real-time monitoring of lymph node alterations in animal models. While HF US is frequently used in animal models of tumor biology, use of HF US for studying cervical lymph nodes alterations associated with murine models of head and neck cancer, or any other model of lymphadenopathy, is lacking. Here we utilize HF US to monitor cervical lymph nodes changes in mice following exposure to the oral cancer-inducing carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO) and in mice with systemic autoimmunity. 4-NQO induces tumors within the mouse oral cavity as early as 19 wks that recapitulate HNSCC. Monitoring of cervical (mandibular) lymph nodes by gray scale and power Doppler sonography revealed changes in lymph node size eight weeks after 4-NQO treatment, prior to tumor formation. 4-NQO causes changes in cervical node blood flow resulting from oral tumor progression. Histological evaluation indicated that the early 4-NQO induced changes in lymph node volume were due to specific hyperproliferation of T-cell enriched zones in the paracortex. We also show that HF US can be used to perform image-guided fine needle aspirate (FNA) biopsies on mice with enlarged mandibular lymph nodes due to genetic mutation of Fas ligand (Fasl). Collectively these studies indicate that HF US is an effective technique for the non-invasive study of cervical lymph node alterations in live mouse models of oral cancer and other mouse models containing cervical lymphadenopathy.
authors: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America; Program in Cancer Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America; Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Elyse L
authors: EL
authors: Walk
authors: Animal Models and Imaging Facility, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America; Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: McLaughlin
authors: Department of Pathology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America.
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Coad
authors: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America; Program in Cancer Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America; Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Scott A
authors: SA
authors: Weed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D051379:Mice; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography