A rat model of bone cancer pain induced by intra-tibia inoculation of Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2006-07, Vol.345 (4), p.1292-1298
• Main Authors: Mao-Ying, Qi-Liang, Zhao, Jun, Dong, Zhi-Qiang, Wang, Jun, Yu, Jin, Yan, Min-Fen, Zhang, Yu-Qiu, Wu, Gen-Cheng, Wang, Yan-Qing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Action Potentials - physiology; Ambulatory pain; Animals; BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY; Bone cancer pain; Bone Neoplasms - complications; CARCINOMAS; Cell Line, Tumor; Disease Models, Animal; Electric Stimulation; Female; Hindlimb - physiopathology; HISTOLOGY; Hyperalgesia - etiology; Hyperalgesia - physiopathology; INOCULATION; LIMBS; MAMMARY GLANDS; Mammary Neoplasms, Animal - pathology; Mechanical allodynia; Neoplasm Transplantation; Nerve Fibers - physiology; Neuralgia - etiology; Neuralgia - physiopathology; PAIN; Pain - etiology; Pain - physiopathology; Pain Measurement - methods; Radiography; RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE; RATS; Rats, Wistar; TIBIA; Tibia - diagnostic imaging; Tibia - pathology; Tibial Nerve - physiopathology; Time Factors; Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells; Weight bearing difference; Weight-Bearing - physiology
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.04.186

This study described a modified rat model of bone cancer pain. Syngeneic Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells were injected into the tibia medullary cavity via intercondylar eminence. Series of tests were carried out including bone radiology, bone histology, ambulatory pain, thermal hyperalgesia, mechanical allodynia, weight bearing ability, and electrophysiological recording from primary afferent fibers. The rats inoculated with carcinoma cells showed significant ambulatory pain, mechanical allodynia, and reduction in weight bearing, as well as increased incidence of spontaneous activity in Aβ fibers in affected limb, whereas PBS (vehicle) or heat-killed cells (sham) injected rats showed no significant difference in comparison to normal rats. The pain hypersensitive behaviors were aggravated with time and destruction of bone. Interestingly, mechanical allodynia was also observed in the contralateral limb, indicating the involvement of ‘mirror image’ pain in bone cancer pain. In summary, the present study provided a useful and easily established rat model of bone cancer pain which will contribute to further study of the mechanisms underlying cancer pain.