ヌードマウスにおけるヒト胃、食道Alpha-fetoprotein産生腺癌の生物学的特性に関する研究

Abstract

Six alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing human adenocarcinomas, five gastric carcinomas and one esophageal carcinoma, were transplanted into BALB/c-nu/nu nude mice, and their transplantabilities and liver metastatic potentials were examined. The gastric carcinomas consisted of two poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas and three tubular adenocarcinomas. All the six carcinomas were taken into the subcutaneous space of nude mice and were serially transplanted, with their transplantabilities being 100%. The doubling time of the transplanted tumor ranged from 6.5 to 11.2 days. A positive correlation was observed in the transplanted tumors between the growth rate and the plasma AFP level. The liver metastatic potential was examined by intrasplenic (i.s.) transplantation of cell suspensions of the transplanted tumors in nude mice, all the six tumors producing metastatic nodules in the liver. In contrast, the transplantability of AFP non-producing human gastric adenocarcinomas in nude mice was 50% (70 out of 140 tumors), and only 5 out of 11 transplanted tumors produced metastatic liver nodules by i. s. transplantation in nude mice. The present results suggested a higher malignant potential of AFP-producing adenocarcinomas than AFP-non producing ones.