Application of Animal Models in Cancer Research: Recent Progress and Future Prospects

Abstract

Animal models refers to the animal experimental objects and related materials that can simulate human body established in medical research. As the second-largest disease in terms of morbidity and mortality after cardiovascular disease, cancer has always been the focus of human attention all over the world, which makes it a research hotspot in the medical field. At the same time, more and more animal models have been constructed and used in cancer research. With the deepening of research, the construction methods of cancer animal models are becoming more and more diverse, including chemical induction, xenotransplantation, gene programming, and so on. In recent years, patient-derived xenotransplantation (PDX) model has become a research hotspot because it can retain the microenvironment of the primary tumor and the basic characteristics of cells. Animal models can be used not only to study the biochemical and physiological processes of the occurrence and development of cancer in objects but also for the screening of cancer drugs and the exploration of gene therapy. In this paper, several main tumor animal models and the application progress of animal models in tumor research are systematically reviewed. Finally, combined with the latest progress and development trend in this field, the future research of tumor animal model was prospected.

Keywords: PDX model; animal model; cancer; patient-derived xenotransplantation model; tumor microenvironment.

Figure 1

Two commonly used classification methods of cancer animal models. Dashed red box represents the classification according to different modeling methods. Another classification is carried out according to different species. Blue arrows indicate the species of animals included in this classification.

Figure 2

Construction method of humanized mice of human immune system. The construction of humanized mice needs to use immunodeficient mice as a tool. By transplanting different human immune organs or cells into immunodeficient mice, three different humanized mice can be constructed. Among them, the Hu-HSC model also needs to destroy the hematopoietic function of bone marrow in mice.