Pancreatic cancer induced by in vivo electroporation-enhanced sleeping beauty transposon gene delivery system in mouse

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to establish a pancreatic tumor model of mouse using the electroporation-enhanced Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system. METHODS: The SB transposon system was used in conjunction with electroporation to deliver oncogenes, c-Myc and HRAS, and shRNA against p53 into the mouse pancreas to induce tumors. Oncogenes (c-Myc and HRAS) and shRNA against p53 gene were directly injected into the pancreas of the mouse along with in vivo electroporation applied on the injection site. The tumors were identified grossly and confirmed using animal positron emission tomographic imaging. The tumors were then characterized using histological and immunohistochemical techniques. The expression of the targeted genes (c-Myc, HRAS, and p53) was analyzed by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Pancreatic tumors were successfully induced. The tumor phenotype was a sarcomatoid carcinoma, which was verified through immunohistochemistry. Some cysts or duct-like structures suggested to be metaplastic acinar cells were visible in the induced tumor. CONCLUSIONS: The SB transposon enhanced with electroporation can readily generate pancreatic tumors in the mice, and thus, this model serves as a valuable resource for the mouse models of pancreatic cancer.