title: Characterization of a murine xenograft model for contrast agent development in breast lesion malignancy assessment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to develop a nude mouse xenograft model implanted with both benign and malignant xenografts as the preliminary candidate screening tool for contrast agent development in lesion malignancy indication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A malignant xenograft (either MCF-7 cell/matrigel™ or MDA-MB 231 cell/matrigel) and a benign xenograft (culture medium/matrigel) with cleft and slit-like features of intracanaliculer fibroadenoma were implanted subcutaneously into flanks of individual nu/nu nude mouse with >90 % successful inoculation rate. Both malignant and benign xenografts with volume up to 4 cm(3) and (size up to 2 cm) after 5(th) week were characterized in vivo by sonogram (exhibiting endogenous morphological contrast features between benign and malignant xenografts), dynamic contrast enhanced multi-detector computed tomography (presenting non-targeting exogenous morphological and dynamic contrast features between benign and malignant xenografts), and then were harvested for histological and immunohistochemistry (revealing example of targeting/molecular contrast features, such as expression of cancer vascular markers of malignant xenografts). Malignant xenografts appeared morphologically taller than wide (axis parallel to skin) with angular/ill-defined margin under sonogram observations, revealed more evident rim enhancement, angular margin and washout pattern in the time-density curve from dynamic contrast enhance multi-detector computed tomography images, and had more visible cancer vascular markers (CD31 and VEGF) expression. With limited number of subjects (5-27 for each group of a specific imaging contrast feature), those imaging contrast features of the xenograft model had larger than 85 % sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative prediction values in indicating xenograft malignancy except for results from color Doppler detections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The murine xenograft model might provide an earlier efficacy evaluation of new contrast agent candidate for lesion malignancy interrogation with qualitative and quantitative indication before a human study to reduce the risk and conserve the resources (time, finance and manpower).
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan, 40227, Republic of China.|Department of Radiology, Cheng Ching General Hospital, 118 Sec. 3, Taichung Port Rd., Xitun Dist., Taichung City, Taiwan, 40764, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tsung-Hsien
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan, 40227, Republic of China.|Department of Radiology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 1650 Sec. 4, Taichung Port Rd., Xitun Dist., Taichung City, Taiwan, 40705, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Gi-Da
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 1650 Sec. 4, Taichung Port Rd., Xitun Dist., Taichung City, Taiwan, 40705, Republic of China.|College of Medicine, China Medical University, No. 91 Hsueh-Shih Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan, 40402, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jyn-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, National Chung-Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan, 40227, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiunn-Wang
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan, 40227, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jia-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan, 40227, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li-Che
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Rd., Taichung City, Taiwan, 40227, Republic of China. vincent1228@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Kuo-Chih
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D064593:Heterografts; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Contrast agent development; Malignancy screening; Xenograft model