Lytic bone lesions in human neuroblastoma xenograft involve osteoclast recruitment and are inhibited by bisphosphonate
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Updated: Sep 25, 2026
Modeling Primary Bone Tumors and Bone Metastasis with Solid Tumor Graft Implantation into Bone
Published on: September 9, 2020
Yasuyoshi Sohara1, Hiroyuki Shimada, Miriam Scadeng
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90027, USA.
Abstract:
Neuroblastoma is the second most common solid tumor in childhood and frequently metastasizes to the bone marrow and the bone matrix. The mechanism involved in bone metastasis and destruction in neuroblastoma is poorly understood. Using a model of bone invasion in immunodeficient mice, we demonstrated that neuroblastoma cells recruited osteoclasts to generate osteolytic lesions and invade the bone matrix. In further support of a contributory role for osteoclasts in neuroblastoma bone invasion, we demonstrated that treatment with the bisphosphonate compound, ibandronate, significantly delayed the progression of osteolytic lesions. The data suggest that bisphosphonates may be clinically effective in the treatment of bone metastases in neuroblastoma.
