Real-time imaging of tumor progression in a fluorescent orthotopic mouse model of thyroid cancer.

There is a need for a clinically relevant mouse model of thyroid cancer that enables real-time, non-invasive monitoring of tumor growth, progression, and drug response over time. Human thyroid cancer cell lines NPA (papillary) and KAK-1 (anaplastic) were stably transfected to express either red or green fluorescent protein. Cancer cells were injected into the thyroid glands of 8-week-old athymic mice. The animals were imaged with whole-body fluorescence imaging weekly and sacrificed when premorbid. At necropsy, the primary tumor was resected en bloc with the respiratory system for processing and analysis. Histology was performed on fixed tissue specimens for review of morphologic findings. Both anaplastic and papillary thyroid cancer cell lines led to robust development of orthotopic fluorescent tumors in nude mice. Injection of 5×10(5) cancer cells was sufficient for tumor development. Tumors were visualized for both cell lines via non-invasive imaging as early as 3 weeks post-implantation and were monitored over time. Time to premorbid condition varied between mice and was associated with a primary tumor growth pattern (early local compression of the esophagus vs. late metastatic disease) rather than tumor size. At necropsy, tumor fluorescence demonstrated metastases in the lungs, lymph nodes and vessels that were not visible under white light. Thus an orthotopic mouse model of thyroid cancer has been developed that replicates the major clinical features of thyroid cancer and enables real-time, non-invasive monitoring of tumor progression. This model should permit preclinical evaluation of novel thyroid cancer therapeutics.