In SituNuclear Morphology Measurements Using Light Scattering as Biomarkers of Neoplastic Change in Animal Models of Carcinogenesis

Adam Wax,John W Pyhtila

doi:10.1155/2008/584101

Abstract

Light scattering spectroscopy measurements can be used to determine the structure of tissue samples. Through refined data acquisition and signal processing techniques, quantitative nuclear morphology measurements may be obtained from light scattering data. These data have been used primarily as a biomarker of neoplastic change in a wide range of settings. Here, we review the application of light scattering to assessing the health status of tissues drawn from animal models of carcinogenesis, in particular, the rat esophagus and the golden Syrian hamster trachea carcinogenesis models. In addition, we present results from ex vivo human tissues to demonstrate the relevance of the use of animal models which are excellent surrogates for several human cancers. These models provide the opportunity to develop biomarkers and test chemopreventive and therapy strategies before application in humans.

Highlights

Animal models are essential to cancer research for their ability to improve understanding of the carcinogenesis process as well as for their capacity to aid in the development of chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents which retard or regress malignant change
A crucial need in this field is the identification of biomarkers which monitor the progression of tissue transformation in animal carcinogenesis models
Most evaluations of chemopreventive agents are based on tumor incidence, multiplicity and size data obtained by gross necropsy of tissues from animal carcinogenesis models [1,5,12,15,25]

Summary

Introduction

Animal models are essential to cancer research for their ability to improve understanding of the carcinogenesis process as well as for their capacity to aid in the development of chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents which retard or regress malignant change. Wise, histopathological determination of the frequency of pre-neoplastic lesions must be used, requiring the visual evaluation of a large number of slides by a trained expert This approach requires sacrifice of the animal to enable the analysis, which precludes subsequent monitoring of further neoplastic change. As alternatives to gross necropsy, other biomarkers of cancer development are often sought, including cytological washings [12], and analysis of DNA and protein adducts in blood components [8,14,24]. These techniques avoid the need for animal sacrifice but are not as developed or widely applicable

Results

Discussion

Conclusion