Abstract 2835: Comparison of xenograft and syngeneic cancer cachexia models for preclinical drug testing

Abstract Cancer cachexia is a wasting syndrome characterized primarily by loss of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue mass and contributes greatly to overall cancer-related mortality (for recent review see Argiles 2023). An estimated 25-75% of cancer patients develop cachexia which leads to impacts on therapeutic tolerability, well-being, and eventually overall survival (Bossi 2021). Some preclinical mouse and rat cancer models manifest cachexia as they progress. In this study we established a syngeneic (immune competent) and a xenograft (immune incompetent) tumor model of cachexia with the intention of comparing the models with respect to typical study endpoints and to provide a platform for testing novel therapeutic agents aimed at inhibiting or reversing the effects of cachexia. The Colon26 syngeneic mouse colon adenocarcinoma model was reported as an experimental cancer cachexia model by Tanaka, et. al. in 1990. The model was developed in male BALB/c × DBA/2 F1 (first generation cross) mice. We typically implant Colon26 in female BALB/c mice for preclinical drug testing of anticancer agents and noticed a strong tendency for mice bearing Colon26 tumors to develop signs of cachexia on study, but not always consistently. A review of the literature showed there are clear gender differences with male cancer patients having higher prevalence of cachexia and greater muscle loss compared with female patients (Zhong 2020). Based on this we implanted Colon26 tumors in male BALB/c mice to establish the cachexia model. The HT1080 human fibrosarcoma model HT1080 was characterized as a cachexic model by Bernardo, et. al. in female severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) mice. We developed the HT1080 model in male SCID mice based on the literature and previous experience. Both models were characterized by multiple endpoints including overall body weight loss, skeletal muscle weight loss, reduction of adipose tissue, and cardiac muscle loss, as well as tracking a broad panel of relevant cytokine levels at study endpoint. Both models generate robust wasting of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue providing an opportunity to assess novel anti-cachexia therapies. Citation Format: Kyle Draheim, Diana Gietl, Karyn Shinn, William Durham, Fei Zhao, Caitlin Thompson, Alexis Baldwin, Glenn Harris, Chassidy Hall, Patrick Fadden, Anya Avrutskaya. Comparison of xenograft and syngeneic cancer cachexia models for preclinical drug testing abstract. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts) ; 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84 (6Suppl): Abstract nr 2835.