A highly predictable animal model of retinoblastoma.

A new animal model of retinoblastoma was developed in newborn inbred CDF rats by intravitreous inoculation of retinal tumor cells (5 X 10(4)/5 microliter) derived from the cultured tumor cell line EXP-5. The retinal tumor from which the cell line originated was induced by a single intravitreous inoculation of human adenovirus serotype 12 (5 microliter of 10(8) TCID 50/0.1 ml) in syngeneic rats. Within 1 month after intravitreous inoculation of EXP-5 cells, a clinically recognizable ocular tumor was obtained in all 39 rats. Ad 12-specific T-antigens were demonstrated in the cultured tumor cells using immunofluorescent techniques. Morphologically these tumor cells closely resembled retinoblastoma, with poorly differentiated intracytoplasmic organelles, solitary cilia with a 9 + 0 tubule pattern, and abnormal nuclear membrane associated with a set of basal bodies. The significance of this highly manipulable retinal tumor cell line is the capability of providing a full-fledged intravitreous tumor in 1-month-old CDF rats, whose actual life span is known to be 42 months. Transplantable retinal tumors described to date are reviewed briefly and compared with the presently reported cell line.