Behaviour of four different B16 murine melanoma cell sublines: C57BL/6J skin

Abstract

Transplantable murine melanomas are well-established models for the study of experimental cancer therapies. The aim of this study was to explore the behaviour of four different B16 murine melanoma cell sublines after inoculation into C57BL/6J mice; and, more specifically to analyse skin changes, with respect to two specific parameters: clinical (tumour volume, melanin amount, erythema) and histological (H & E, S100, VEGF expression). Both non-invasive and invasive analysis showed that B164A5 is the most aggressive melanoma cell line for C57BL/6J's skin, followed by B16F10 and then by diminished aggressive growth pattern by the B16GMCSF and B16FLT3 cell lines.

Keywords: B164A5; B16F10; B16FLT3; B16GMCSF; C57BL/6J.

Figure 1

Tumour volume (mm³) evolution throughout the experiment.

Figure 2

Melanin amount (arbitrary units) evolution in the different experimental groups among the 21 days of experiment.

Figure 3

Erythema (arbitrary units) evolution in the different experimental groups among the 21 days of experiment.

Figure 4

HE staining in the different groups with skin melanoma: (a) group B – intense pigmentation in almost all tumour cells with a predominance at the periphery of the tumour; (b) group C – moderate pigmentation with intense pigmentation in nests of tumour melanocytes; (c) group D – skin melanoma with local presence of melanin in isolated cells; (d) group E – presence of diffuse melanin with some loss of pigmentation.

Figure 5

S100 staining in the different groups with skin melanoma: (a) group B – strongly positive, consistent, in almost all tumour cells; (b) group C – moderately and strongly positive, heterogeneous; (c) group D – moderate intensity with focal areas of intense positive; (d) group E – low positivity with areas of moderate expression of S100.

Figure 6

VEGF staining in the different groups with skin melanoma: (a) group B – intense VEGF expression in tumour cells in almost all cells; (b) group C – VEGF expression has a moderate intensity with a perivascular predominance; (c) group D – VEGF showing moderate intensity; the isolated pigmented cells with melanin have intense expression of VEGF and a granular appearance; (d) group E – moderate intensity of VEGF in isolated cells and nests.