Establishment of a Visualized Mouse Orthotopic Model of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Abstract

Abstract Background Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, one of the most common head and neck tumours, is particularly prevalent in Southeast Asia and is characterized by high rates of metastasis and recurrence. Mouse orthotopic tumour models are commonly employed in studies investigating the mechanisms underlying tumour development and progression, as well as preclinical treatment. However, mature and visualized orthotopic models of nasopharyngeal carcinoma are currently unavailable, limiting the development of treatment strategies for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The aim of the current study is to provide a simple and reliable method for building an orthotopic model of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods human nasopharyngeal carcinoma C666-1-luc cells, stably expressing the firefly luciferase gene, were injected subcutaneously into the right axilla of BALB/C nude mice. Four weeks later, the resulting subcutaneous tumours were cut into small blocks and grafted into the nasopharynx of immunodeficient BALB/C nude mice to induce tumour formation. Tumour growth was monitored by bioluminescence imaging and small animal magnetic resonance imaging. The histological and immunological antigen expression associated with orthotopic nasopharyngeal carcinoma were analysed by tissue section analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results We successfully constructed a visualized orthotopic nasopharyngeal carcinoma model. Fluorescence signal detection, micro-magnetic resonance imaging and hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed the successful growth of tumours in the nasopharynx of nude mice. Moreover, IHC analysis detected positive CK, CK5/6, P40 and P63 expression in mouse orthotopic tumours, which is consistent with the reported antigen expression in the nasopharyngeal tumours of patients. Conclusion We established a reproducible, visualized and less lethal orthotopic model of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, providing a platform for researching nasopharyngeal carcinoma that is more conducive to preclinical research.