<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a model of
human monocytic
leukemia with CNS infiltration in BALB/c
nude mice.</p><p><b>
METHODS</b>BALB/c nu/nu
mice pre-treated by
splenectomy,
cytoxan intraperitoneal injection, and sublethal irradiation (SCI), were transplanted intravenously with 1 x 10(7) of
human monocytic leukemic SHI-1
cells. The leukemic
cells engrafted in the
mice were detected by RT-PCR, histopathological examination,
immunohistochemistry and FCM.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The
survival time of SCI-nu/nu
mice was 33-46 d.
Paraplegia occurred in some of the
mice. 5 weeks after
transplantation, SHI-1
cells engrafted in SCI-nu/nu
mice, multi-organs were involved and green solid
neoplasms were formed in some organs. Histopathological examination found that SHI-1
cells infiltrated in
liver,
lung,
kidney and
testis of the
mice and vertebral and
skull bone marrow was replaced by leukemic
cells. Leukemic
cell penetrated through the surface of
vertebrae, formed
neoplasm, and entered the
subdural space, but seldom involved the spinal parenchyma. In
brain leukemia cells were filled in the
subdural space and pia-
arachnoid, covered the surface of
cerebrum,
cerebellum, spread along the
virchow-robin space on the surface of
pia mater, and eventually invaded the
brain parenchyma.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SHI-1
cells could engrafted in the SCI-nu/nu
mice, form an efficient and reproducible
experimental model of CNSL and systematic
leukemia. This model may be useful for studying the pathogenesis of CNSL.</p>