The experimental renal cell carcinoma model in the chick embryo

The clear cell subtype of renal carcinoma (CCRCC) is highly vascularized and despite a slow progression rate, it is potentially a highly aggressive tumor. Although a doubling of median progression-free survival in CCRCC patients treated by targeted therapies has been observed, the fact that tumors escape after anti-VEGF treatment suggests alternative pathways. The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is a well-established model, which allows in vivo studies of tumor angiogenesis and the testing of anti-angiogenic molecules. However, only a few data exist on CCRCC grafted onto CAM. We aimed to validate herein the CAM as a suitable model for studying the development of CCRCC and the interactions with the surrounding stroma. Our study uses both CCRCC cell lines and fresh tumor samples after surgical resection. We demonstrate that in both cases CCRCC can be grafted onto the CAM, to survive and to induce an angiogenic process. We further provide insights into the transcriptional regulation of the model by performing a differential analysis of tumor-derived and stroma-derived transcripts.