Human ovarian
papillary cystadenocarcinoma cells were injected intraperitoneally into severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. After intraperitoneal application the cells, designated SoTü, grew well in vivo, lodged on to the peritoneum, formed local metastatic deposits, led to the development of
ascites in the mice and formed distant
metastases in the lungs. If lodged in the ovary, the morphology of the SoTü tumour remarkably resembled that of the primary tumour in the patient. In contrast, several attempts failed to maintain the SoTü cells in vitro. If SCID mouse
ascites derived SoTü were transplanted subcutaneously in SCID mice, they formed cystic tumours which also metastasized into the lungs. Immunophenotypical analysis of
cell adhesion molecule expression, cell proliferation markers, various
oncoproteins,
keratin,
vimentin, and
lectin binding site expression all showed striking similarity between the primary tumour and the SCID mouse explants. In particular, expression of binding sites for the
lectin Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA), which has been shown to be an index of metastatic potential in several human
carcinomas, was found on the primary tumour as well as on tumour cells grown in SCID mice, indicating that HPA might be a prognostic
indicator in ovarian
carcinoma as well. Our results demonstrate that the human/SCID mouse system can mimic growth and distant
metastasis formation of human ovarian
carcinoma. Although the formation of distant
metastases is a relatively rare event in patients, this model system might help to elucidate mechanisms of
metastasis formation in
ovarian cancer.