Human cancer growth and therapy in immunodeficient mouse models.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2014

JAX Location

Reprint Collection

JAX Source

Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2014 Jul 1; 2014(7):694-708.

Volume

2014

Issue

7

First Page

073585

Last Page

073585

ISSN

1559-6095

PMID

24987146

Abstract

Since the discovery of the "nude" mouse more than 40 years ago, investigators have attempted to model human tumor growth in immunodeficient mice. Here, we summarize how the field has advanced over the ensuing years owing to improvements in the murine recipients of human tumors. These improvements include the discovery of the scid mutation and development of targeted mutations in the recombination-activating genes 1 and 2 (Rag1(null), Rag2(null)) that severely cripple the adaptive immune response of the murine host. More recently, mice deficient in adaptive immunity have been crossed with mice bearing targeted mutations designed to weaken the innate immune system, ultimately leading to the development of immunodeficient mice bearing a targeted mutation in the gene encoding the interleukin 2 (IL2) receptor common γ chain (IL2rg(null), also known in humans as cytokine receptor common subunit γ). The IL2rg(null) mutation has been used to develop several immunodeficient strains of mice, including the NOD-scid IL2rg(null) (NSG) strain. Using NSG mice as human xenograft recipients, it is now possible to grow almost all types of primary human tumors in vivo, including most solid tumors and hematological malignancies that maintain characteristics of the primary tumor in the patient. Programs to optimize patient-specific therapy using patient-derived xenograft tumor growth in NSG mice have been established at several institutions, including The Jackson Laboratory. Moreover, NSG mice can be engrafted with functional human immune systems, permitting for the first time the potential to study primary human tumors in vivo in the presence of a human immune system. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2014 Jul 1; 2014(7):694-708.

Comments

this article also published in Mouse Models of Cancer A Laboratory Manual, CSH Lab Press, 2014.

Please contact the Joan Staats Library for information regarding this document.

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