Dark Agouti rat model of chemotherapy-induced mucositis: establishment and current state of the art

Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2015 Jun;240(6):725-41. doi: 10.1177/1535370215581309. Epub 2015 May 12.

Abstract

Mucositis is a major oncological problem. The entire gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract and also other mucosal surfaces can be affected in recipients of radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy. Major progress has been made in recent years in understanding the mechanisms of oral and small intestinal mucositis, which appears to be more prominent than colonic damage. This progress is largely due to the development of representative laboratory animal models of mucositis. This review focuses on the development and establishment of the Dark Agouti rat mammary adenocarcinoma model by the Mucositis Research Group of the University of Adelaide over the past 20 years to characterize the mechanisms underlying methotrexate-, 5-fluorouracil-, and irinotecan-induced mucositis. It also aims to summarize the results from studies using different animal model systems to identify new molecular and cellular markers of mucositis.

Keywords: 5-fluorouracil; Rat; chemotherapy; irinotecan; methotrexate; mucositis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy*
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / pharmacology
  • Camptothecin / adverse effects
  • Camptothecin / analogs & derivatives
  • Camptothecin / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Fluorouracil / adverse effects
  • Fluorouracil / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Irinotecan
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Methotrexate / adverse effects
  • Methotrexate / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mucositis* / chemically induced
  • Mucositis* / metabolism
  • Mucositis* / pathology
  • Mucositis* / therapy
  • Rats

Substances

  • Irinotecan
  • Fluorouracil
  • Camptothecin
  • Methotrexate