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Lu T, Peng H, Zhong L, Wu P, He J, Deng Z, Huang Y. The Tree Shrew as a Model for Cancer Research. Front Oncol 2021; 11:653236. [PMID: 33768009 PMCID: PMC7985444 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.653236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal disease models are necessary in medical research, and an appropriate animal model is of great importance for studies about the prevention or treatment of cancer. The most important thing in the selection of animal models is to consider the similarity between animals and humans. The tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) is a squirrel-like mammal which placed in the order Scandentia. Whole-genome sequencing has revealed that tree shrews are extremely similar to primate and humans than to rodents, with many highly conserved genes, which makes the data from studies that use tree shrews as models more convincing and the research outcomes more easily translatable. In tumor research, tree shrews are often used as animal models for hepatic and mammary cancers. As research has progressed, other types of tree shrew tumor models have been developed and exhibit clinical manifestations similar to those of humans. Combining the advantages of both rodents and primates, the tree shrew is expected to be the most powerful animal model for studying tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Lu
- National Center for International Research of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Talent Highland of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Hongmei Peng
- Scientific Research and Education Department, The First People's Hospital of Changde City, Changde, China
| | - Liping Zhong
- National Center for International Research of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Talent Highland of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Pan Wu
- National Center for International Research of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Talent Highland of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Jian He
- National Center for International Research of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Talent Highland of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhiming Deng
- The First People's Hospital of Changde City, Changde, China
| | - Yong Huang
- National Center for International Research of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Talent Highland of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
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Pathological and genetic aspects of spontaneous mammary gland tumor in Tupaia belangeri (tree shrew). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233232. [PMID: 32421739 PMCID: PMC7233572 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammary gland cancer is the most common cancer occurring in women globally. Incidences of this cancer in Japan are on the increase. Annually, more than 70,000 new cases are recorded in Japan and about 1.7 million in the world. Many cases are still difficult to cure completely, and animal models are required for the characterization of the biology, therapeutic strategy, and preventive measures for spontaneous mammary tumor. The mouse model used currently has some limitations owing to structural differences between mouse and human mammary glands. Tupaia belangeri (tree shrew), which belongs to the Tupaiidae family, shows relatively high genetic homology and structural similarity to human mammary glands. Here, we characterized the spontaneous mammary tumors in 61 female tree shrews of different ages. The incidence rate was 24.6% (15/61), and the rate of simultaneous or metachronous multiplex tumors was 60% (9/15). From the incidence pattern, some cases seemed to be of familial mammary gland tumor, as the offspring of female tree shrews No. 3 and 9 and male tree shrew No. 11 showed a high incidence rate, of 73.3% (11/15). Average incidence age for tumor development was 2 years and 3 months, and the earliest was 10 months. Histochemical analysis indicated that spontaneous mammary gland tumors in the tree shrew show the features of intraductal papillary adenomas (22 cases), except 2 tubulopapillary carcinoma cases (No. 75 and 131). All the cases were positive for the progesterone receptor, whereas 91.3% were positive for the estrogen receptor, and 4.3% were HER-2 positive. We have also confirmed the expression of nectin-4 in some mammary tumor cells. Additionally, we subjected tree shrews to cytodiagnosis or X-ray CT. Thus, the findings of this study highlight the potential of the tree shrew as a valuable new animal model for mammary gland tumor study.
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Tu Q, Yang D, Zhang X, Jia X, An S, Yan L, Dai H, Ma Y, Tang C, Tong W, Hou Z, Lv L, Tan J, Zhao X. A novel pancreatic cancer model originated from transformation of acinar cells in adult tree shrew, a primate-like animal. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm.038703. [PMID: 30910991 PMCID: PMC6505477 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.038703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal common cancers. The cell of origin of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has been controversial, and recent evidence suggested acinar cells as the most probable candidate. However, the genetic alterations driving the transformation of pancreatic acinar cells in fully mature animals remain to be deciphered. In this study, lentivirus was used as a tool to introduce genetic engineering in tree shrew pancreatic acinar cells to explore the driver mutation essential for malignant transformation, establishing a novel tree shrew PDAC model, because we found that lentivirus could selectively infect acinar cells in tree shrew pancreas. Combination of oncogenic KRASG12D expression and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes Tp53, Cdkn2a and Cdkn2b could induce pancreatic cancer with full penetrance. Silencing of Cdkn2b is indispensable for Rb1 phosphorylation and tumor induction. Tree shrew PDAC possesses the main histological and molecular features of human PDAC. The gene expression profile of tree shrew PDAC was more similar to human disease than a mouse model. In conclusion, we established a novel pancreatic cancer model in tree shrew and identified driver mutations indispensable for PDAC induction from acinar cells in mature adults, demonstrating the essential roles of Cdkn2b in the induction of PDAC originating from adult acinar cells. Tree shrew could thus provide a better choice than mouse for a PDAC model derived from acinar cells in fully mature animals. Summary: Our work identified the driver mutations indispensable for PDAC induction from acinar cells in mature adults and established a novel PDAC animal model with increased similarity to human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu Tu
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunological Prevention and Treatment of Yunnan Province, Central Laboratory of Yan'an Hospital, Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650051, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Dong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Xianning Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Xintong Jia
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Sanqi An
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Lanzhen Yan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China.,Kunming Primate Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Hongjuan Dai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Yuhua Ma
- Kunming Primate Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Chengwei Tang
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Weimin Tong
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Zongliu Hou
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunological Prevention and Treatment of Yunnan Province, Central Laboratory of Yan'an Hospital, Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650051, China
| | - Longbao Lv
- Kunming Primate Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Jing Tan
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunological Prevention and Treatment of Yunnan Province, Central Laboratory of Yan'an Hospital, Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650051, China
| | - Xudong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China .,Kunming Primate Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
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Diverse interleukin-7 mRNA transcripts in Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis). PLoS One 2014; 9:e99859. [PMID: 24945249 PMCID: PMC4063794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 05/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-7 (IL7) is a pleiotropic cytokine that is actively involved in the immune system. The Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) has been proposed as an alternative experimental animal to primates in biomedical research. However, there is a lack of biological knowledge about the immune system of the tree shrew. In this study, we cloned the IL7 gene (tIL7) in the Chinese tree shrew and quantified the expression of mRNA transcripts in eight tissues (heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, intestine, skeletal muscle and brain) from 20 individuals. Eleven tIL7 mRNA transcripts were identified in different tissues. The canonical form (tIL7c) had a length of 1817 bp and encoded a predicted gene product with 177 amino acids. Phylogenetic analyses based on the amino acid sequences revealed a considerably large genetic difference between tree shrew and human. Quantification of mRNA expression of transcripts tIL7c, tIL7-sv1, tIL7-sv2 and tIL7-sv3 showed that these transcripts were expressed in all tissues, albeit the expression levels varied in different tissues. Transcripts tIL7c, tIL7-sv1, and tIL7-sv2 had the lowest expression in brain, and tIL7-sv3 had a dramatically high mRNA expression in skeletal muscle and heart. The mRNA expression levels of tIL7c and tIL7-sv1 were significantly increased upon ploy(I:C) stimulation in tree shrew primary renal cells. As with human full-length IL7, tIL7c, tIL7-sv1, tIL7-sv2 and tIL7-sv3 showed similar a subcellular localization pattern. Our results identified diverse tIL7 transcripts in the Chinese tree shrew, which may play a potential role in modulating IL7-regulated biological effects.
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Haddad JL, Dick EJ, Guardado-Mendoza R, Hubbard GB. Spontaneous squamous cell carcinomas in 13 baboons, a first report in a spider monkey, and a review of the non-human primate literature. J Med Primatol 2009; 38:175-86. [PMID: 19220686 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0684.2009.00338.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a neoplastic proliferation of epithelial cells undergoing squamous differentiation and represents a diagnostic challenge in non-human primates (NHP), especially in baboons with perineal SCC. METHODS Fourteen SCC (13 baboons, 1 spider monkey) were identified over a 20-year period. A literature search identified 86 additional published cases of spontaneous NHP SCC. RESULTS Squamous cell carcinoma was most commonly reported in macaques, baboons, marmosets, and squirrel monkeys. Metastasis occurred in 23%, of NHP. The most frequently reported primary locations were the oral cavity, integument, esophagus, and cervix-uterus. Perineal SCC occurred mainly in baboons. All reported SCC in marmosets occurred in the head. Nasal cavity SCC was only reported in male marmosets. All reported pulmonary SCC occurred in males, mostly in tree shrews. CONCLUSIONS Squamous cell carcinoma is a common neoplasm in NHP and exhibits species differences. NHPs may provide a useful SCC animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Haddad
- Southwest National Primate Research Center at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, TX 76227-5301, USA
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