Fig 10.

Targeting of intracranial human melanoma xenografts by intravenous VSV-rp30. (A to E) Melanin pigment-filled human melanoma YUSIK cells were injected stereotactically in the striatum of SCID mice. Border of tumor mass (A) and isolated cell clusters surrounded by brain parenchyma (C) were easily traceable in bright-field observation of brain microsections. A single injection of 10⁸ PFU VSV-rp30 led to complete infection of large tumor masses (B) as well as isolated tumor cells (D) within 2 days, with limited infection of surrounding brain tissue; the cellularity of normal brain tissue is indicated by DAPI nuclear stain (E). Alternatively, the amelanotic human melanoma YUMAC tissue was stably transfected to express red fluorescent protein for easy tracing of tumor cells injected into the brain of SCID mice (F to J). Short-term brain melanoma xenografts (7 days) were established through stereotactic injection into the striatum of SCID mice (F, H). Tail vein injection of VSV-rp30 led to complete infection of the red tumor cells within 2 days (G, H). DAPI stain illustrating the cellularity of the brain parenchyma. Red YUMAC tumor-bearing mice not receiving VSV-rp30 via tail vein were monitored for an additional 3 weeks, and brains were harvested and analyzed for progressed tumor growth (K). Detail sections (L) display high cellularity via DAPI stain (M) and negative signal for GFP fluorescence in the absence of virus (N).