Abstract 41: Subcutaneous growth and immune cell profiling of BT-474 human breast carcinoma in four strains of triple immunodeficient mice
Authors: Snider Justin , Germain Derrik , Kucharczyk Lauren , Zaitouna Anita , Trachet Erin , Wise Scott 
Published: April 2023

Triple immunodeficient mouse models, that lack functional T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells, are necessary when evaluating human cancer cell growth and cell-based therapy activity, allowing for assessment without innate mouse immune system involvement. Due to limited colony sizes at any given vendor, study timelines can sometimes become compromised unless a sufficient alternative is validated. Site location can also be a factor, as licensing restrictions may be an issue for international corporations. In an effort to prove overall similarities across four strains of triple immunodeficient mice, the growth characteristics of BT-474 were compared in female NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) mice, NOD.CB17-Prkdcscid IL2rgtm1/BcgenHsd (B-NDG) mice, NOD-Prkdcem26Cd52Il2rgem26Cd22/NjuCrl (NCG) mice, and NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Sug/JicTac (CIEA NOG) mice. An immune cell profile was also performed across these four mouse strains and evaluated via flow cytometry to observe any immune cell subset differences in blood, spleen, and tumor samples. Samples analyzed post implant were collected when subcutaneous tumors were ~500 mm3.

Model development studies were completed previously to optimize tumor growth kinetics. Historic growth conditions were BT-474 cells implanted at 1.0E+07 cells/implant in the presence of an extracellular matrix into the high right axilla of female NSG mice. Using the same optimized growth conditions, NSG, B-NDG, NCG, and CIEA NOG mice were implanted with BT-474 cells. BT-474 grew well in all the tested mouse strains, producing 100% take rate. Compared to NSG mice, median tumor volume doubling times differed by 1-5 days, median times to an evaluation size of 150 mm3 (typical study enrollment tumor volume) differed by +/- ~4 days and median time to an evaluation size of 1250 mm3 (tumor volume at the end of life) differed by +/- ~10 days. BT-474 did not induce body weight loss in any of the tested mouse strains and all clinical observations were similar.

Flow cytometry was performed to quantify lymphocyte and myeloid immune subsets in blood, spleen, and tumor. Overall, compared to NSG mice, the absolute counts were similar for all immune subsets measured except for regulatory T cells (Tregs). B-NDG, NCG, and CIEA NOG mice had reduced Treg numbers in the spleen of tumor-bearing mice. In the tumor, Treg numbers were lower in the B-NDG and CIEA NOG mice. No differences were observed for any immune subset in the blood.

Overall, the tumor growth kinetics of BT-474 in B-NDG mice was most similar to historical data using NSG mice. The flow data also confirmed that each strain’s immune cell population generally looked very similar, with limited differences between the four strains of triple immunodeficient mice.

Citation Format: Justin Snider, Derrik Germain, Lauren Kucharczyk, Anita Zaitouna, Erin Trachet, Scott Wise. Subcutaneous growth and immune cell profiling of BT-474 human breast carcinoma in four strains of triple immunodeficient mice [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 41.