Background: There are no xenograft models of low-grade soft tissue sarcoma. Transplant survival remains an obstacle in sarcoma xenograft models and is attributed to post-transplantation hypoxia. Models with an intrinsic tissue - engineered vascular supply may overcome this obstacle. The aim of this study was to establish a novel xenograft model of primary human low grade soft tissue sarcoma.
Materials and methods: Primary low-grade liposarcoma fragments were transplanted into a silicon chamber, placed around the superficial epigastric vessels in athymic nude mice. Xenograft samples were assessed histologically (light/electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry for S100).
Results: All xenotransplants of low grade primary soft tissue liposarcoma (n=4) engrafted, led to the development of solid tumours in mice. Histological and immunohistochemical staining confirmed the xenografts as being well-differentiated liposarcomas identical to the original tumor tissue.
Conclusion: Successful transplantation of human low-grade liposarcoma tissue in mice was established for the first time using a model with an intrinsic vascular supply.