Gamma radiation induced leukemia in ICRC strain of mice: a murine model closely simulating human disease for experimental chemotherapy.

We report here a murine model of transplantable lymphoblastic leukemia closely simulating human disease in albino mice of ICRC strain. Both male and female mice of this strain developed leukemia with high incidence (approximately 70%) following whole body exposure to 60Co Gamma Rays (Dose: 1.5 Gray/Week x4). The latent period for development of leukemia was six months. In the leukemic mice there is marked leucocytosis with presence of lymphoblasts in peripheral blood. These blasts infiltrate various organs like liver, spleen, kidney, lymph nodes, testes and brain, Neoplastic cells are T lymphoblasts expressing weak Thy 1.2 membrane antigen and found sensitive to anticancer drugs. Salient features of the murine model are described.