Development of transplantable B-cell lymphomas in the MHC-defined miniature swine model

Background Establishment of transplantable tumors in clinically relevant large animals allows translational studies of novel cancer therapeutics. Methods Here we describe the establishment, characterization, and serial transplantation of a naturally occurring B-cell lymphoma derived from a unique, highly inbred sub-line of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-defined miniature swine. Results The lymphoblastic cell line (LCL) originated from peripheral blood of a 2.5 year old female swine leukocyte antigen (SLA)(dd)-inbred miniature swine breeder demonstrating clinical signs of malignancy. Flow cytometric phenotypic analysis of subclones derived from the original cell line revealed surface markers commonly expressed in a B-cell lineage neoplasm. A subclone of the original LCL was transplanted into mildly-conditioned histocompatible miniature swine and immunocompromised NOD.Cg-Prkdc(scid)Il2rg(tm1Wjl)/SzJ (NSG) mice. Tissue and blood samples harvested 2 weeks following subcutaneous and intravenous injection in a highly inbred SLA(dd) pig were cultured for tumor growth and phenotypic analysis before serial transfer into NSG mice. Evidence of tumor growth in vivo was found in all tumor cell recipients. In vitro growth characteristics and surface phenotype were comparable between the original and serially transplanted tumor cell lines. Conclusions These results indicate the feasibility of developing a large-animal transplantable tumor model using cells derived from spontaneously occurring hematologic malignancies within the highly inbred miniature swine herd.