Establishing Bladder Cancer Xenograft Models

Bladder cancer xenografts (BL0293 and BL0440) were previously described with corresponding drug sensitivity data [9 (link)]. Frozen samples from Passage 4 were propagated in NSG (NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ) immunodeficient mice (The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA) by injecting single cell suspensions (3 × 10⁶ tumor cells administered in 100 µL volume of cell suspension in 1:1 Matrigel (Corning)) subcutaneously (SQ) into the right flank. Tumor burden was assessed by measuring tumor length and width using digital calipers twice per week for up to 10 weeks. Tumor volume was estimated using the formula (length*width²)/2. Tumors were excised when they reached an estimated volume of 1 cm³ or when other IACUC criteria were met. All animal experiments were approved by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and conform to the Guide for the care and use of laboratory animals. Protocol 168 was approved October 14, 2015 by LLNL IACUC to conduct this work.