Monitoring luciferase-labeled cancer cell growth and metastasis in different in vivo models

Cancer metastasis is infrequently evaluated in vivo, probably because of the few available models and the technical challenges associated with the detection of metastases. Here we show that the growth and metastases of HT1080 fibrosarcoma, A549 lung adenocarcinoma, and RENCA murine renal cancer cell lines in five different in vivo models can be successfully monitored by labeling the cells with luciferase prior to their implantation and then detecting their bioluminesence after injecting luciferin. We also used this in vivo imaging system to successfully demonstrate that YM529, a third generation bisphosphonate, inhibited the growth of sarcoma metastases in bone. We believe the models we have established in combination with the in vivo imaging system will be highly useful for future studies of metastasis and the testing of anti-metastatic therapies.