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Updated: Oct 2, 2026

A Mouse Model to Investigate the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Growth
06:35

A Mouse Model to Investigate the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Growth

Published on: December 22, 2020

Absence of fibroblast growth factor 2 does not prevent tumor formation originating from the RPE

Alessandro Foletti1, Julien Ackermann, Andrea Schmidt

  • 1ISREC (Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research), Chemin des Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.

Oncogene
|March 16, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is not essential for retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tumor development or metastasis. FGF2-deficient mice show no impairment, indicating FGF2 is not critical for RPE tumor growth.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) role in tumor development is under investigation.
  • Transgenic mouse models (Tyrp1-Tag) spontaneously develop retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tumors with metastatic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if FGF2 is essential for RPE tumor formation and metastasis.
  • To investigate the impact of FGF2 deficiency on tumor growth kinetics and survival rates.

Main Methods:

  • Generation of FGF2-deficient (FGF2-/-) mice.
  • Crossbreeding FGF2-/- mice with Tyrp1-Tag transgenic mice to create RPE tumor models lacking FGF2.
  • Isolation and characterization of RPE tumor cell lines from both wild-type and FGF2-deficient mice.
  • Subcutaneous injection of tumor cells into nude mice to assess tumor formation and growth.

Main Results:

  • FGF2-deficient mice are healthy, with normal growth and development.
  • Tyrp1-Tag mice lacking FGF2 developed RPE tumors that metastasized to the spleen and lymph nodes.
  • Tumor growth and survival rates in FGF2-deficient Tyrp1-Tag mice were identical to those expressing FGF2.
  • RPE tumor cell lines derived from FGF2-deficient mice formed vascularized tumors in vivo, independent of FGF2 presence.

Conclusions:

  • FGF2 is not essential for the initiation or progression of RPE tumors.
  • Tumor growth and metastasis in this model are independent of FGF2.
  • These findings suggest that FGF2 may not be a critical factor for tumor growth in general.

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