BxPC-3: Evaluating responses to standard therapeutic agents in subcutaneous mouse model of human pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer, particularly pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), stands as a formidable global health challenge with a projected incidence of 18.6 per 100,000 by 2050. Surgical resection, the potential cure, is hindered by late-stage diagnoses, limiting viable candidates. Accounting for 85% of pancreatic cancer cases, PDAC often eludes early detection due to its retroperitoneal location, resulting in dismal 5-year survival rates not surpassing 10%. Other challenges include the tumor’s aggressive nature, patient frailty and pervasive resistance to therapies. Overcoming these challenges demands innovative approaches and BxPC-3, a human PDAC model, emerges as a valuable tool for in vitro and in vivo testing of novel therapeutic interventions to improve outcomes.

Derived from a 61-year-old Caucasian female with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the BxPC-3 model exhibits striking parallels to the patient’s primary tumor when grown in nude mice. The cell line lacks tumor suppressors CDKN2A/p16 and SMAD4/DPC4 due to homozygous deletions, possesses a TP53 missense mutation and maintains a wild-type RAS configuration. Displaying consistently elevated levels of pro-angiogenic factors such as IL-1α and IL-8, BxPC-3 suggests a notable angiogenic potential.¹ Retaining an epithelial morphology, the model exhibits impaired TGFβ signaling. BxPC-3 tumors showcase distinct fibrosis coupled with the presence of pancreatic stem cells; additionally, the tumors present sizable necrotic areas, indicative of a highly malignant phenotype.² 

At Labcorp, we have run numerous studies using the BxPC-3 model of human pancreatic cancer in the subcutaneous (SC) setting in the NSG and NSG-dKO mouse models with multiple standard agents, vehicles and mode of deliveries. 

Growth of subcutaneously implanted BxPC-3 cells in NSG mice across different studies show reproducibility with high latency periods before tumor development.