Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most prevalent bone tumors, which is cancerous, especially amongst children and teens. Animal models play a crucial role in understanding OS biology, metastasis mechanisms, and developing novel therapies. At Protheragen, we specialize in developing and validating various animal models of osteosarcoma to support cutting-edge research.
Overview of Osteosarcoma Animal Models
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a rare but aggressive bone cancer that predominantly affects children and young adults during periods of rapid skeletal growth. Despite significant advancements in surgical techniques and chemotherapy regimens, the prognosis for patients with metastatic OS remains grim, with a five-year survival rate of only 20% post-diagnosis. This underscores the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies and a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying OS progression. Animal models have emerged as indispensable tools in this quest, providing controlled environments to study the disease's complexities and test potential therapeutics.
Fig.1 Osteosarcoma (OS) mouse models. (Beck J.,
et al., 2022)
Types of Osteosarcoma Animal Models
Rodent Models
- Xenograft models: Human OS cell lines (e.g., SaOS-2, MG63, HOS) implanted in immunocompromised mice
- Allograft models: Mouse OS cell lines (e.g., K7M2, DUNN) in immunocompetent mice
- Genetically Engineered Mouse (GEM) models:
- TP53/RB knockout models (e.g., Osx-Cre+p53-/-)
- c-Fos transgenic models (H2-c-fosLTR)
- Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) models: Fresh tumor tissue engrafted in immunodeficient mice
Non-Rodent Models
Canine models
- Established cell lines (e.g., D-17, Abrams, Gracie)
- Advantages: Intact immune system, spontaneous metastasis, similar pharmacokinetics
Porcine models
- TP53-mutant minipigs (e.g., TP53R167H mutants)
- Advantages: Similar size/physiology to humans, spontaneous osteosarcoma development
Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) assay
- Rapid, cost-effective angiogenesis/metastasis studies
- No ethical approval required (non-innervated membrane)
Our Services
At Protheragen, we offer tailored animal model development services to meet the specific needs of our clients. Whether it's generating a new GEMM, inducing OS in rodents, or establishing a PDX model, our team of experts ensures that each model is developed with precision and care.
Chemically Induced Models
Protheragen utilizes carcinogens like radium, thorium, and P32-orthophosphate to induce OS in rodents. These models are instrumental in studying the carcinogenic process and the effects of environmental toxins on bone tissue.
Ionizing radiation is known to induce OS in rodents, simulating secondary OS seen in humans following radiotherapy. These models are crucial for understanding the long-term effects of radiation therapy and developing strategies to mitigate radiation-induced malignancies.
Protheragen offers comprehensive cell line-derived tumor xenograft (CDX) model development services, leveraging our expertise in cancer model development. These services include the establishment of CDX models using various cancer cell lines, allowing for the study of tumor growth, metastasis, and therapeutic efficacy in immunodeficient mice. Our CDX models provide a robust platform for preclinical testing of anticancer therapies, ensuring that your research is supported by scientifically validated and reliable models.
| Cell Lines |
Description |
| Human |
SaOS-2 (ATCC HTB-85) |
Epithelial OS from 11-year-old female
Sublines: LM6 (SaOS-LM6), LM7 (SaOS-LM7) |
| HuO9 |
OS from a 13-year-old female
Sublines: HuO9-M112, HuO9-M132, HuO9-H3, HuO9-L6, HuO9-L12, HuO9-L13 |
| MG63 (ATCC CRL-1427) |
Fibroblastic OS from 14-year-old male
Sublines: MG63.2, MG63.3 |
| HOS (ATCC CRL-1543) |
Fibroblast/epithelial-like OS from 13-year-old female
Sublines: 143B, MNNG/HOS, KRIB |
| Mouse |
DUNN |
Spontaneous OS from C3H mouse
Sublines: DLM8 (LM8) |
| K7 |
Spontaneous OS from distal femur of BALB/c mouse
Subline: K7M2 |
Protheragen specializes in creating GEMMs that accurately mimic the human OS. By introducing specific genetic mutations, such as those in the TP53 and RB genes, we can generate mouse models that develop OS with high penetrance and similar histological features to human tumors. These models are invaluable for studying the genetic basis of OS and testing novel therapies.
| Model Types |
Conditional Knockout Mice |
| Model Name |
Rb1-Flox Mice |
| Also Known As |
C57BL/6-Rb1tm1(flox) |
| Detailed Description |
The mice possess loxP sites flanking Exon 3 of the Rb1 gene. When crossed with a strain expressing Cre recombinase, they enable tissue-specific conditional knockout of the Rb1 gene. |
| NCBI ID |
19645 |
| MGI ID |
97874 |
| Gene Alias |
Rb, pRb, Rb-1, pp105, p110-RB1 |
| Sales Status |
Repository live |
| Applications & Therapeutic Areas |
Cancer research; Aging |
| Ensembl ID |
ENSMUSG00000022105 |
| Pubmed |
RB1 |
| Human Ortholog |
STK11 |
Case Study
Protheragen has created an animal model of cell line-derived tumor xenograft (CDX) osteosarcoma model. In this case, a subcutaneous tumor model was established in nude mice. The 143B cells were injected into the right axillary region of the mice, and the tumor volume and weight increased over time.
Fig 2. Changes in tumor volume and weight after injection of 143B tumor cells.
Protheragen collaborates with leading academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and biotech firms to advance OS research and therapy development. Our partnerships enable us to stay at the forefront of OS research, incorporating the latest findings into our model development services. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Beck, Jessica, et al. "Canine and murine models of osteosarcoma." Veterinary pathology 59.3 (2022): 399-414.
- Jarvis, Sommer, et al. "Non-rodent animal models of osteosarcoma: a review." Cancer Treatment and Research Communications 27 (2021): 100307.
- Yu, Xiaobin, Jason T. Yustein, and Jianming Xu. "Research models and mesenchymal/epithelial plasticity of osteosarcoma." Cell & Bioscience 11.1 (2021): 94.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
