Optimization of the establishment protocol of a mouse model of MBA/TPA-induced skin cancer / 中国实验动物学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To induce skin cancer in BALB/c mice using DMBA as initiator and TPA as tumor promot-er. Through optimizing the doses and frequencies of DMBA administration to establish a stable skin cancer model with less time and causing less skin damage. Methods Shaving the back of mice to expose a piece of skin around 2 cm × 2 cm. The mice were divided into a blank control group and four treatment groups randomly. These four groups were given 1, 2, 4, 7 times 100μg/100μL DMBA/acetone, respectively, in the first week, and twice 4μg/100μL TPA/acetone per week in the next 11 weeks. The body weight changes, time of tumor formation and number of tumors formed were recorded during the experiment. The mice were sacrificed at 12th week and samples of tumor tissue and adjacent normal skin tissue were taken for pathological examination using HE staining. Results Tumors were observed at the 7th week in the group with once DMBA administration in the first week and at the 4th week in the group with twice DMBA administration in the first week. Skin cancers were formed also in the group with 4?time DMBA administration in the first week, however, with signif?icantly more severe skin damages. The mice receiving DMBA everyday in the first week died at the 3th week. Conclusions The best induction protocol for skin cancer in BALB/c mice should be twice DMBA in the first week followed by twice TPA