TRANSPLANTATION OF HUMAN-MALIGNANT MESOTHELIOMA INTO NUDE-MICE

Abstract

Human pleural malignant mesothelioma was successfully transplanted into nude mice from 2 of 3 patients. The tumor implants of the 1st generation grew in 6 of 20 mice (30%), with a take of implants of 17 of 32 (53%). Tumors grew from 52 of 80 mice (65%) in a total of 169 of 266 implants (64%) during the first 4 generations. The mean delay between transplantation and tumor growth was 46 days (range, 18-104 days). Pathological examination by light microscopy and EM confirmed the nature of the growing tumors in nude mice. Pathology of transplanted tumors was grossly similar to the human tumors in 1st- and 2nd-generation transplants. Up to 8 generations have been presently carried out with presence of a human karyotype in transplanted tumors. The potential usefulness of this model with particular reference to chemosensitivity of these tumors will be investigated.