Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of two orthotopic xenograft models established with human epithelial ovarian cancer solid tumor tissue slices and human ovarian carcinoma cell line OVCAR-3.
Materials and methods: Tumor tissues and cell line OVCAR3 of human epithelial ovarian cancer were grown in subcutaneous tissue and the subcutaneous tumor source was fetched and inoculated in ovarian capsule of nude mice under microscope to establish the orthotopic implantation model. At four and eight weeks after modeling, the orthotopic tumor formation rate, tumor diameter, metastasis rate outside the ovary, incidence rate of ascites, and CA125 levels in the two models were observed.
Results: The orthotopic tumor formation rate in the solid tumor slices group (60.0%) was significantly lower than that in the cell line group (85.0%, p < 0.05). However, the tumor diameter, metastasis rate outside the ovary, incidence rate of ascites, and CA125 levels in the solid tumor slices group (2.4 +/- 0.61 cm, 75.0%, 50.0%, and 80.13 +/- 11.26 U/ml, respectively) were remarkably higher than those in the cell line group (1.6 +/- 0.53 cm, 52.9%, 29.4%, and 36.5 +/- 6.71 U/ml, respectively) (p < 0.05, respectively).
Conclusion: There are differences between the two orthotopic xenograft models established with human epithelial ovarian cancer solid tumor tissue slices and human ovarian carcinoma cell line OVCAR-3. The biological characteristics of the solid tumor slices model are more similar to human ovarian cancer.