This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Henry, C. J. Articles by Kouri, R. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Henry, C. J. Articles by Kouri, R. E.

Lung Cancer Model System Using 3-Methylcholanthrene in Inbred Strains of Mice¹

Departments of Experimental Oncology [C. J. H., L. H. B., M. D. A., D. R. D., A. L., B. S., C. E. W.] and Biochemical Oncology [T. H. R., R. E. K.], Microbiological Associates, Bethesda, Maryland 20816

A model system has been established for studying lung carcinogenesis using intratracheal instillation of 3-methylcholanthrene in C3H / AnfCum and C57BL / Cum x C3H/AnfCum F₁ (hereafter called BC3F₁/Cum) mice. The animals in these studies were screened for adventitious agents and were free throughout their lifetime of two important lung viruses, Sendai virus and pneumonia virus of mice. Under these conditions, the occurrence of spontaneous and chemically induced lung cancers was determined over the lifetime of the animals. Data were analyzed by the actuarial method for lung tumor probability. Probability was found to be dose and time dependent. Over 95% of the 3-methylcholanthrene-treated BC3F₁/Cum and over 88% of the C3H/AnfCum mice were found at death to have pulmonary carcinomas. Tumors observed in animals which died up to 40 weeks on test were almost always squamous cell carcinomas (85%), while tumors which were observed in animals which died after 50 weeks were mainly alveolar adenocarcinomas (80%). Both tumor types metastasized widely. Spontaneous lung cancers (only alveolar adenocarcinomas were observed) occurred in these two strains at low frequency and were expressed late in life. Thus, the system described affords a suitable model to study the induction, expression, and progression of lung tumors under conditions where a vast majority of animals develop neoplasia.

¹ Supported in part by contracts from The Council for Tobacoo Research—U. S. A., Inc. Presented in part at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, Inc., New Orleans, La., May 16 to 19, 1979 (3).

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

³ Present address: Environmental Pathology Services, Rockville Medical Center, 809 Veirs Mill Road, Rockville, Md. 20851.

⁴ Present address: Registry of Experimental Cancers, Division of Cancer Cause and Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md. 20205.

⁵ Present address: National Cancer Institute-National Toxicology Program, Landow Building, Bethesda, Md. 20205.

Received 5/28/81. Accepted 9/16/81.