COLON DISEASES IN THE COTTON-TOP TAMARIN - EVALUATING A PRIMATE MODELFOR ULCERATIVE-COLITIS AND COLORECTAL-CARCINOMA IN HUMANS

Recognition of spontaneous ulcerative colitis in the cotton-top tamari n (CTT) that predisposes the animal to high incidences of colonic carc inoma strongly suggests an animal model that closely parallels these h uman diseases. This study compares a comprehensive' review of the curr ent literature from researchers associated with three of the largest b iomedical research CTT colonies in the world with current observations in humans. The natural history and clinical characteristics of CTT co litis and CTT colonic carcinoma pathogenesis compare remarkably well w ith the colitis/carcinoma sequence of the human diseases; exceptions a re CTT cancer incidences are higher and liver metastases are rare. The immunobiological characteristics are also very similar except that CT T CEA recognition is less consistent, LDH(k) values were inconsistent with cancer diagnosis, and CA-19-9 and Le(x) values were negative in C TTs. Because many similarities exist between the development of coliti s and colonic carcinoma in CTTs and humans, the merits of this animal model should be recognized for future colitis and colon cancer researc h.