Current views on in vivo models for breast cancer research and related drug development

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Animal models play a crucial role in breast cancer research, in particular mice and rats, who develop mammary tumors that closely resemble their human counterparts. These models allow the study of mechanisms behind breast carcinogenesis, as well as the efficacy and safety of new, and potentially more effective and advantageous therapeutic approaches. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each model is crucial to select the most appropriate one for the research purpose.

Area covered

This review provides a concise overview of the animal models available for breast cancer research, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each one for searching new and more effective approaches to treatments for this type of cancer.

Expert opinion

Rodent models provide valuable information on the genetic alterations of the disease, the tumor microenvironment, and allow the evaluation of the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents. However, in vivo models have limitations, and one of them is the fact that they do not fully mimic human diseases. Choosing the most suitable model for the study purpose is crucial for the development of new therapeutic agents that provide better care for breast cancer patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Mammary cancer
• modeling
• rodent models
• therapy
• treatment

Article highlights

• Animal models, particularly mice and rats, are vital for breast cancer research as they closely resemble human mammary tumors, enabling the study of carcinogenesis mechanisms and the evaluation of new therapeutic approaches.

• Despite the similarities in tumor development and response to treatment, there are inherent biological and physiological differences between rodents and humans.

• Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of different animal models is crucial for selecting the most appropriate one for breast cancer research.

• The chemical carcinogen that is most used for inducing mammary cancer in animal models is 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA).

• The use of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models is a valuable approach for studying molecular subtypes of breast cancer.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Funds from the FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the projects UIDB/04033/2020 (CITAB) and LA/P/0126/2020 (INOV4AGRO) and via Doctoral Grants (2020. 04789.BD awarded to T Ferreira] and 2020. 07999.BD awarded to J Silva).