Comparison between NOD/SCID mice and BALB/c mice for patient-derived tumor xenografts model of non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: Patient-derived tumor xenografts (PDX) are considered as a more reliable experiment model for screening chemotherapeutic drugs. However, the tumorigenic rate differs depending on mouse strains, which generates the experimental variability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we built PDX models of human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in NOD/SCID mice in comparison with BALB/c mice. RESULTS: The result showed that the tumorigenesis rate of NOD/SCID mice (46.2%, 18/39) was higher than that of BALB/c mice (17.39%, 4/23). Latent times of tumorigenesis of NOD/SCID mice (41±18 days) were shorter than these of BALB/c mice (53±17 days). Times of tumorigenesis of NOD/SCID mice (85±25 days) were shorter than that of BALB/c mice (104±14 days). In addition, squamous carcinoma tissues were more likely to form tumors than adenocarcinoma tissues in NOD/SCID mice (P=0.008) and BALB/c mice (P=0.09). Also tumors could retain patients’ tumor characteristics in NOD/SCID mice and BALB/c mice xenograft models. CONCLUSION: It is worth mentioning that the result of the drug experiment in the PDX models was consistent with the effect of clinical chemotherapy. As a result, NOD/SCID mice have advantages in a higher rate of tumorigenesis, shorter latent times of tumorigenesis and times of tumorigenesis over BALB/c mice in PDX models. It can provide a more reliable model of drug screening.