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Original Articles: Basic Sciences
Histopathology of Ovarian Tumors in Laying Hens: A Preclinical Model of Human Ovarian Cancer
  1. Animesh Barua, PhD*,
  2. Pincas Bitterman, MD†,‡,
  3. Jacques S. Abramowicz, MD‡,
  4. Angela L. Dirks, BS§,
  5. Janice M. Bahr, PhD§,
  6. Dale B. Hales, PhD∥,
  7. Michael J. Bradaric, BS*,
  8. Seby L. Edassery, MS*,
  9. Jacob Rotmensch, MD‡ and
  10. Judith L. Luborsky, PhD*,‡,
  1. *Departments of Pharmacology,
  2. †Departments of 1Pathology, and
  3. ‡Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago,
  4. §Departments of Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign,
  5. ∥Departments of Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, and
  6. Departments of Department of Preventive Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL.
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Animesh Barua, PhD, Department of Pharmacology, Rush University Medical Center, Cohn Research Bldg, 1735 W. Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60612. E-mail: Animesh_Barua{at}rush.edu.

Abstract

The high mortality rate due to ovarian cancer (OVCA) is attributed to the lack of an effective early detection method. Because of the nonspecificity of symptoms at early stage, most of the OVCA cases are detected at late stages. This makes the access to women with early-stage disease problematic and presents a barrier to development and validation of tests for detection of early stage of OVCA in humans. Animal models are used to elucidate disease etiologies and pathogenesis that are difficult to study in humans. Laying hen is the only available animal that develops OVCA spontaneously; however, detailed information on ovarian tumor histology is not available. The goal of this study was to determine the histological features of malignant ovarian tumors in laying hens. A total of 155 young and old (1-5 years of age) laying hens (Gallus domesticus) were selected randomly and evaluated grossly and microscopically for the presence of ovarian tumors. Histological classification of tumors with their stages and grades was determined with reference to those for humans. Similar to humans, all 4 types including serous, endometrioid, mucinous, and clear cell or mixed carcinomas were observed in hen ovarian tumors. Some early neoplastic as well as putative ovarian lesions were also observed. Similarities in histology, metastasis, and stages of hen OVCA to those of humans demonstrate the feasibility of the hen model for additional delineation of the mechanism underlying ovarian carcinogenesis, preclinical testing of new agents for the prevention, and therapy of this disease.

  • Ovarian cancer
  • Preclinical model
  • Laying hen
  • Tumor histology

https://doi.org/10.1111/IGC.0b013e3181a41613

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    Footnotes

    • This study was supported by NIH R01AI055060 (J.L.), the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation (J.L.), the Ovarian Cancer Survivor Network (J.L.), POCRC, SPORE # P50 CA83636, Joy Piccolo O'Connell/Gravers Award, Segal Family Foundation, and DOD OC073325 (J.L.) and OC050091 (D.B.H.).