Transplantation of human hairy cell leukemia in radiation- preconditioned
nude mice: characterization of the model by histological, histochemical,
phenotypic, and tumor kinetic studies
GB Faguet and JF Agee
Medical Research Services, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Augusta,
GA.
Two cell lines (EH and HK) with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) immunophenotypes
were recently derived from two HCL patients. Both cell lines were
transplanted subcutaneously (2 x 10(5) or 2 x 10(6)/mouse) in male BALB/c
nu/nu mice (n = 128) with a 97% success rate when coimplanted with
nonproliferative HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells (2 x 10(6)/mouse) in recipients
preconditioned with total-body irradiation (200 R weekly for 3 weeks).
Tumors appeared five to ten days postimplant and reached up to 25% of body
weight after a mean survival of 8 weeks (range, 30 to 90 days). Tumor
histology suggested large cell lymphoma. Cytochemically and
immunophenotypically, tumor cells were indistinguishable from their parent
cells. Species and lineage derivation of tumor cells was confirmed by
antibody probes against the mouse histocompatibility antigen H-2, human T
and B lymphocyte antigens, and the HCL-associated common chronic
lymphocytic leukemia antigen (cCLLa). In order of decreasing frequency,
metastases occurred in the spleen, lungs, pleura, lymph nodes, bone marrow,
and kidneys. Up to 12% of circulating lymphoid cells in mice were
cCLLa-positive, which suggested hematogenous tumor dissemination. This HCL
xenotransplantation model might be useful in preclinical studies for
exploring novel experimental therapies for the management of human HCL.
Volume 71,
Issue 6,
pp. 1511-1517,
06/01/1988
Copyright © 1988 by The American Society of Hematology
