Abstract
Purpose::
To compare mouse metastasis models derived from different uveal melanoma cell lines.
Methods::
Mel202 or 92.1 uveal melanoma cells were injected into the spleens of SCID mice under direct visualization. Necropsy was performed at 4,8,12, and 16 weeks post-injection with gross and histological evaluation of the spleen, liver, and lungs.
Results::
Fourteen SCID mice were injected with Mel202 cells, and six mice were injected with 92.1 cells. By histopathologic examination, splenic melanoma cells were present in 95% of mice injected with Mel202 cells, but only one of these mice demonstrated liver metastasis at 16 weeks. In contrast, 100% of mice injected with 92.1 cells developed liver metastasis by 6 weeks.
Conclusions::
Uveal melanoma cell lines vary widely in their metastatic behavior in mouse xenograft models. Even though the Mel202 cell line was derived from a primary tumor that metastasized and killed the patient, these cells show minimal metastatic potential in this xenograft model. At the other extreme, 92.1 cells demonstrated striking metastatic behavior within 6 weeks, which is much more aggressive than is seen in humans. Caution is recommended in extrapolating the behavior of uveal melanoma cells in xenograft models to their clinical behavior in humans.
Keywords: melanoma • pathology: experimental