One method to establish Epstein-Barr virus-associated NK/T cell lymphoma mouse models.

ABSTRACT

Novel nude mice model of human NK/T cell lymphoma were established by subcutaneously injecting two NK/T cell lymphoma cell lines into the right axillary region of mice and successful passages were completed by injecting cell suspension which was obtained through a 70-µm cell strainer. These mice models and corresponding cell clones have been successfully developed for more than 8 generations. The survival rates of both resuscitation and transplantation in NKYS and YT models were 90% and 70% correspondingly. Pathologically, the tumour cells in all passages of the lymphoma-bearing mice and cell lines obtained from tumours were parallel to initial cell lines. Immunologically, the tumour cells expressed the characteristics of the primary and essential NK/T lymphomas. The novel mice models maintained the essential features of human NK/T cell lymphoma, and they would be ideal tools in vivo for further research of human NK/T cell lymphoma.