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Updated: Apr 16, 2026
A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Published on: March 6, 2018
Novel In Vivo model for combinatorial fluorescence labeling in mouse prostate
Xiaolan Fang1, Kenneth Gyabaah, Bita Nickkholgh
1Department of Cancer Biology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Researchers developed a novel Prorainbow mouse model for studying prostate diseases. This model uses fluorescent proteins to track normal and cancerous prostate cell development, aiding targeted treatments.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Genomics
- Oncology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Prostate glands comprise diverse cell types, including luminal and basal cells.
- A lack of suitable animal models hinders the study of prostate cell origins and heterogeneous diseases.
- Targeting individual cell lineages is crucial for effective prostate disease treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel transgenic mouse models for investigating prostate cellular development.
- To enable the study of normal and neoplastic prostate development at the cellular level.
- To facilitate research into targeted therapies for heterogeneous prostate diseases.
Main Methods:
- Development of a mouse model with stochastic combinatorial fluorescent protein expression (XFPs) in prostatic cells.
- Utilized a Protein Kinase D1 (PKD1) knock-out, K-Ras(G12D) knock-in, and PTEN/PKD1 double knock-out mouse system.
- PB-Cre promoter controlled XFP expression for lineage tracing in vivo.
Main Results:
- Observed in vivo XFP signals in the prostate of engineered mouse models.
- PKD1 knock-out, K-Ras(G12D) knock-in, and PTEN/PKD1 double knock-out mice exhibited normal, hyperplastic, and neoplastic prostate tissues, respectively.
- Patchy XFP expression in neoplastic tissue suggested clonal origins of prostate cancer.
Conclusions:
- The developed transgenic mouse models, named Prorainbow, exhibit combinatorial fluorescent protein expression in normal and cancerous prostate tissues.
- Prorainbow mice provide a valuable tool for studying benign and malignant prostate pathology.
- This model aids in understanding prostate cancer's cellular origins and heterogeneity.
