Abstract: Background and purpose: Renal cell carcinoma is the most common form of kidney cancer, characterized by lack of early symptoms and high malignancy. This study aimed to establish orthotopic nude mice models of human renal cell carcinoma with high success rate and good repeatability. Methods: The four types of methods which were adopted to establish the orthotopic models of renal cell carcinoma were orthotopic injection of 786-0 and ACHN cell suspensions, orthotopic injection of primary cell suspensions obtained from the subcutaneous tumor tissues, renal subcutis orthotopic implantation into renal capsule and surgical subcutis orthotopic implantation into renal fascia. To gain insights into the tumorigenicity and the growth of transplantation tumors, the imageological examination (PET/CT), histological examination (H-E staining, immunohistochemistry staining) and biochemical analysis of blood were carried out. Results: In terms of the subcutaneous transplantation of human renal cell carcinoma models in nude mice, tumorigenic rate of ACHN cells (90%) was higher than that of 786-0 cells (30%). The tumorigenic incidences of 786-0 cell suspensions orthotopic injection, ACHN cell suspensions orthotopic injection, ACHN subcutis cellular suspensions orthotopic injection, ACHN subcutis orthotopic implantation into renal capsule and renal fascia were 33%, 80%, 90%, 100% and 20%, respectively. ACHN subcutis orthotopic implantation into renal capsule was the most effective approach. Imageological and histological results accorded with poorly differentiated renal cell carcinoma. Conclusion: Four orthotopic nude mice models of human renal cell carcinoma were successfully established. Among these methods, ACHN subcutis orthotopic implantation into renal capsule is the most effective approach, which provides an ideal model for the research on biological behavior of human renal cell carcinoma and its treatment.

Key words: Renal cell carcinoma, Nude mice, Orthotopic transplantation, PET/CT, ACHN cells