An experimental model for infiltration of malignant lymphoma to the eye and brain

Currently there is no adequate experimental model available whereby the lethal infiltration of malignant lymphoma to the eye and CNS can be studied. Variant S49 mouse lymphoma cells that exhibit cell-cell adhesion properties (named Rev-2-T-6) were inoculated intraperitoneally into Balb/C mice at the ages of 6-60 days postnatal. Mice inoculated between days 6-11 postnatal developed signs of eye and CNS involvement with an apparent peak (58% of mice) at day 7. None of the mice inoculated beyond day 11 exhibited such signs. Histological analysis of these sites revealed tumorous infiltrates into a variety of structures in the orbit, intraocular tissues, along the optic nerve and in the brain. Additional analysis of the histopathological data, based on the structures demonstrating the highest frequency of lymphoma infiltration, suggests preferred routes of lymphoma entry to the brain and eye. Thus, entry to the brain can occur mainly through the choroid plexus and cranial nerves or cranial nerve ganglia. Entry to the eye may occur from the brain (along the optic nerve), and through hematogenous infiltration of orbital structures. No data were found that would support retrograde infiltration of the lymphoma from the eye to the brain. These findings present an experimental model for addressing the molecular mechanisms that govern homing of malignant lymphoma to the eye and brain, as well as the development of experimental therapeutic modalities for malignant lymphoma in these organs.