Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 30, 2025
A Melanoma Patient-Derived Xenograft Model
Published on: May 20, 2019
Supporting clinical decision making in advanced melanoma by preclinical testing in personalized immune-humanized
L Ny1, L Y Rizzo2, V Belgrano2
1Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Background:
The mouse strains usually used to generate patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) are immunocompromised, rendering them unsuitable for immunotherapy studies. Here we assessed the value of immune-PDX mouse models for predicting responses to anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients.
Patients And Methods:
Melanoma biopsies contained in a retrospective biobank were transplanted into NOG mice or NOG mice expressing interleukin 2 (hIL2-NOG mice). Tumor growth was monitored, and comparisons were made with clinical data, sequencing data, and current in silico predictive tools.
Results:
Biopsies grew readily in NOG mice but growth was heterogeneous in hIL2-NOG mice. IL2 appears to activate T-cell immunity in the biopsies to block tumor growth. Biopsy growth in hIL2-NOG mice was negatively associated with survival in patients previously treated with PD-1 checkpoint blockade. In two cases, the prospective clinical decisions of anti-PD-1 therapy or targeted BRAF/MEK inhibitors were supported by the observed responses in mice.
Conclusions:
Immune-PDX models represent a promising addition to future biomarker discovery studies and for clinical decision making in patients receiving immunotherapy.
