title: Establishment and characterization of a metastasis model of human gastric cancer in nude mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A mouse model of metastasis of human gastric cancer is one of the most important tools for studying the biological mechanisms underlying human gastric cancer metastasis. In this paper, we established a mouse model of metastatic human gastric cancer in nude mice that has a higher rate of tumor formation and metastasis than existing models.
  
  
  METHODS
  To generate the mouse model of metastatic human gastric cancer, fresh tumor tissues from patients that have undergone surgery for gastric cancer were subcutaneously implanted in the right and left groins of nude mice. When the implanted tissue grew to 1 cubic centimeter, the mice were killed, and the tumor tissues were examined and resected. The tumor tissues were implanted into nude mice and subjected to pathological examination, immunohistochemical staining, and real-time PCR for cytokeratin 8/18 (CK8/18), E-cadherin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). The mice were also analyzed for metastasis in their peritoneum, abdominal cavity, and internal organs by histopathological examination. Tissues collected from these organs were examined for pathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After ten generations of implantation, all mice developed tumor growth at the implanted position, 94% of the mice developed metastasis to the retroperitoneum and viscera. The implanted and metastatic tumor maintained the same histological features across all generations, and metastasis was observed in the esophagus, stomach, spleen, liver, kidney, adrenal, intestine, and pancreas. These metastatic tumors revealed no detectable expression of CK8/18, E-cadherin, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This model will serve as valuable tool for understanding the metastatic process of human gastric cancer.
authors: Department of Medicine Biotechnology, Medicine and Science Research Institute of Gansu province, Lanzhou, China. likesheng63@hotmail.com.
authors: Kesheng
authors: K
authors: Li
authors: Department of Medicine Biotechnology, Medicine and Science Research Institute of Gansu province, Lanzhou, China.
authors: Huifen
authors: H
authors: Du
authors: Department of Medicine Biotechnology, Medicine and Science Research Institute of Gansu province, Lanzhou, China.
authors: Xiaowen
authors: X
authors: Lian
authors: Department of Medicine Biotechnology, Medicine and Science Research Institute of Gansu province, Lanzhou, China.
authors: Dandan
authors: D
authors: Chai
authors: Department of Surgery, Tumor Hospital of Gansu province, Lanzhou, China.
authors: Xinwen
authors: X
authors: Li
authors: Department of pathology, Tumor Hospital of Gansu province, Lanzhou, China.
authors: Rong
authors: R
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Medicine Biotechnology, Medicine and Science Research Institute of Gansu province, Lanzhou, China.
authors: Chunya
authors: C
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D053533:Keratin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000235:genetics; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D053533:Keratin-8; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1