Real-time PCR-based assay to quantify the relative amount of human and mouse tissue present in tumor xenografts.

BACKGROUND: Xenograft samples used to test anti-cancer drug efficacies and toxicities in vivo contain an unknown mix of mouse and human cells. Evaluation of drug activity can be confounded by samples containing large amounts of contaminating mouse tissue. We have developed a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay using TaqMan technology to quantify the amount of mouse tissue that is incorporated into human xenograft samples. RESULTS: The forward and reverse primers bind to the same DNA sequence in the human and the mouse genome. Using a set of specially designed fluorescent probes provides species specificity. The linearity and sensitivity of the assay is evaluated using serial dilutions of single species and heterogeneous DNA mixtures. We examined many xenograft samples at various in vivo passages, finding a wide variety of human:mouse DNA ratios. This variation may be influenced by tumor type, number of serial passages in vivo, and even which part of the tumor was collected and used in the assay. CONCLUSIONS: This novel assay provides an accurate quantitative assessment of human and mouse content in xenograft tumors. This assay can be performed on aberrantly behaving human xenografts, samples used in bioinformatics studies, and periodically for tumor tissue frequently grown by serial passage in vivo.

Increased antitumor activity of bevacizumab in combination with hypoxia inducible factor-1 inhibition.

Inhibition of hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is an attractive therapeutic strategy to target the tumor microenvironment. However, HIF-1 inhibitors may have limited activity as single agents and combination therapies may be required. We tested the hypothesis that HIF-1 inhibition in a hypoxic-stressed tumor microenvironment, which could be generated by administration of antiangiogenic agents, may result in a more pronounced therapeutic effect. The activity of bevacizumab, either alone or in combination with the HIF-1alpha inhibitor topotecan, was evaluated in U251-HRE xenografts. Tumor tissue was collected at the end of treatment and changes in tumor oxygenation, angiogenesis, proliferation, apoptosis, HIF-1alpha levels, HIF-1 target genes, and DNA damage were evaluated. Bevacizumab decreased microvessel-density and increased intratumor-hypoxia, but did not induce apoptosis. Moreover, bevacizumab alone caused a significant increase of HIF-1-dependent gene expression in tumor tissue. Addition of a low dose of daily topotecan to bevacizumab significantly inhibited tumor growth, relative to mice treated with topotecan or bevacizumab alone (P < 0.01). The addition of topotecan to bevacizumab was also associated with profound inhibition of HIF-1 transcriptional activity, significant inhibition of proliferation, and induction of apoptosis. Importantly, DNA damage induced by topotecan alone was not augmented by addition of bevacizumab, suggesting that increased cytotoxic activity did not account for the increased antitumor effects observed. These results strongly suggest that combination of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibodies with HIF-1 inhibitors is an attractive therapeutic strategy targeting in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment.

Accelerated preclinical testing using transplanted tumors from genetically engineered mouse breast cancer models.

PURPOSE: The use of genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models for preclinical testing of anticancer therapies is hampered by variable tumor latency, incomplete penetrance, and complicated breeding schemes. Here, we describe and validate a transplantation strategy that circumvents some of these difficulties. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Tumor fragments from tumor-bearing MMTV-PyMT or cell suspensions from MMTV-PyMT, -Her2/neu, -wnt1, -wnt1/p53(+/-), BRCA1/p53(+/-), and C3(1)T-Ag mice were transplanted into the mammary fat pad or s.c. into naïve syngeneic or immunosuppressed mice. Tumor development was monitored and tissues were processed for histopathology and gene expression profiling. Metastasis was scored 60 days after the removal of transplanted tumors. RESULTS: PyMT tumor fragments and cell suspensions from anterior glands grew faster than posterior tumors in serial passages regardless of the site of implantation. Microarray analysis revealed genetic differences between these tumors. The transplantation was reproducible using anterior tumors from multiple GEM, and tumor growth rate correlated with the number of transplanted cells. Similar morphologic appearances were observed in original and transplanted tumors. Metastasis developed in >90% of mice transplanted with PyMT, 40% with BRCA1/p53(+/-) and wnt1/p53(+/-), and 15% with Her2/neu tumors. Expansion of PyMT and wnt1 tumors by serial transplantation for two passages did not lead to significant changes in gene expression. PyMT-transplanted tumors and anterior tumors of transgenic mice showed similar sensitivities to cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel. CONCLUSIONS: Transplantation of GEM tumors can provide a large cohort of mice bearing mammary tumors at the same stage of tumor development and with defined frequency of metastasis in a well-characterized molecular and genetic background.

Schedule-dependent inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha protein accumulation, angiogenesis, and tumor growth by topotecan in U251-HRE glioblastoma xenografts.

We have previously shown that topotecan, a topoisomerase I poison, inhibits hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha protein accumulation by a DNA damage-independent mechanism. Here, we report that daily administration of topotecan inhibits HIF-1alpha protein expression in U251-HRE glioblastoma xenografts. Concomitant with HIF-1alpha inhibition, topotecan caused a significant tumor growth inhibition associated with a marked decrease of angiogenesis and expression of HIF-1 target genes in tumor tissue. These results provide a compelling rationale for testing topotecan in clinical trials to target HIF-1 in cancer patients.