SPONTANEOUS LUNG METASTASES IN A HUMAN LUNG-TUMOR XENOGRAFT - A NEW EXPERIMENTAL-MODEL

The cell line NIH-H460, derived from a human large-cell carcinoma of t he lung, became metastatic in the lung of athymic mice after s.c. inje ction. Using serial s.c. passages of the lung metastasis, a cell line was selected, H460M, which was characterized by an increased metastati c potential compared to the parental cells after s.c. (spontaneous met astases) or i.v. injection (experimental metastases). For the high fre quency of lung metastases in the mouse and the short time required to develop metastatic foci, the H460M cells transplanted in nude mice rep resent a unique preclinical model for biological and therapeutic studi es. The paper describes the growth and some biological properties (inv asion and migration capability, membrane profile) of this experimental in vivo model.