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The number of Tasmanian devils in the wild is rapidly declining owing to a transmissible cancer, devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). Although progress has been made to understand the spread of this disease, crucial research on the pathogenesis of DFTD has been limited because of the threatened status of the host species. Here, the authors describe the development of a NOD/SCID (nonobese diabetic / severe combined immunodeficiency) mouse model that reproduces DFTD and provides a much-needed model to undertake studies into this intriguing transmissible cancer. Histologically, the DFTD produced in NOD/SCID mice (xenografted DFTD) was indistinguishable from the DFTD identified in Tasmanian devils. At the protein level, all xenografted DFTD tumors expressed periaxin, a marker that confirmed the diagnosis of DFTD. The karyotype of DFTD in NOD/SCID mice reproduced similar chromosomal alterations as seen in diseased devils. Furthermore, each NOD/SCID mouse inoculated with cultured DFTD tumor cells developed tumors, whereas DFTD did not develop in any of the inoculated immune-competent BALB/c mice.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Tasmanian devil, devil facial tumor disease, NOD/SCID mouse, cytogenetic
Research Division:	Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Research Group:	Immunology
Research Field:	Tumour immunology
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical health
Objective Field:	Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Kreiss, A (Dr Alexandre Kreiss)
UTAS Author:	Tovar, C (Dr Cesar Tovar Lopez)
UTAS Author:	Obendorf, DL (Dr David Obendorf)
UTAS Author:	Woods, GM (Professor Gregory Woods)
ID Code:	66086
Year Published:	2011
Web of Science® Times Cited:	19
Deposited By:	Menzies Institute for Medical Research
Deposited On:	2010-12-21
Last Modified:	2011-05-02
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