Heading Towards a Possible Rebirth of the Induced Renal Cell Carcinoma Models?

Introduction: Animal models are interesting tools to improve our knowledge of the pathophysiological processes underlying kidney cancer development. Recent advances have been made in the understanding of the genetic founding events underlying clear cell renal carcinoma. The aim of this paper was to review and discuss the characteristics of all the induced animal models of renal carcinogenesis that have been described in the scientific literature to date and to see if and how they could regain some use in the light of the latest discoveries. Methods: The authors reviewed all the papers available in PubMed regarding induced animal models of renal carcinogenesis. From this perspective, the keywords “induced”, “animal model”, and “renal cancer” were used in PubMed’s search engine. Another search was done using the keywords “induced”, “animal model”, and “kidney cancer”. PRISMA recommendations were used to develop the literature review. Results: Seventy-eight studies were included in this review. Results were presented depending on the mechanisms used to induce carcinogenesis in each model: induction by carcinogens, hormones, viral induction, or induction by other agents. Discussion focused on the possibility to rethink these different induced animal models and use them to answer new research questions. Conclusion: Many induced animal models have been developed in the past to study renal cancer. While these models seemed unable to yield new knowledge, the latest advances in the understanding of the genetics behind renal carcinogenesis could well bring the models back to the forefront.