Development of method for creating tumor xenograft model with porous metal scaffold

Abstract

Aim of the study – the development of a method for obtaining a tumor xenograft model by a subcutaneous transplantation of a porous metal scaffold populated with cultured human lung carcinoma cells. Material and methods. The study included 14 athymic male Balb c/nude mice aged 8-90 weeks, weighing 20-24 g. All animals received injections with cultured human A549 lung carcinoma cells subcutaneously into the right anterolateral area of the back. In animals of the main group (gr.1, n=4), scaffolds with a pore diameter of 0.5 mm made of titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloy using an industrial 3D printer served as carriers of tumor cells. Scaffolds were seeded with 3 million A549 culture cells, and were implanted into the recipient animals after the 7-day incubation. Results were compared with the results of the tumor culture transplantation with Matrigel (100 mcL) in two groups of animals with varying cell suspension dosages: the maximum vaccination dose for in vivo (10×106 cells per mouse, gr.2, n=5) and half the maximum dose (5×106 respectively, gr.3, n=5). Then, the dynamics of tumor growth in the groups of experimental mice was monitored for 55 days: xenograft volumes were calculated using the Shrek’s formula for an ellipsoid. At the end of the experiment, the animals were euthanized by cervical dislocation. Results. Monitoring of the dynamics of xenograft volumes demonstrated the maximal values in mice with implanted scaffolds. The slowest xenograft growth was registered in animals with the maximum vaccination dose of tumor cells with Matrigel. Histological study showed that tumor material obtained from all animals corresponded to A549 lung carcinoma. Conclusions. Porous metal scaffolds, previously incubated with A549 culture cells and implanted subcutaneously in athymic Balb c/nude mice, allows obtaining rapidly growing xenografts with histologically confirmed correspondence to the original tumor.