Background: The Vietnamese swine represents a promising animal model due to its anatomical, physiological, and pathophysiological similarities to humans. Notably, the arrangement of lobes and ducts in the mammary glands is highly comparable to that of humans and is histologically indistinguishable. Leveraging these advantages through the chemical induction of carcinogenesis in this model offers a robust approach to mimic human exposure to carcinogenic compounds.
Methods: This study elaborates on a protocol for developing a representative model of MNU-induced invasive breast carcinoma in three Vietnamese swine, validated histologically and immunologically. It evaluates not only the tissue similarity with humans, but also the development of chemically induced mammary tumors in an immunologically competent animal. Moreover, this study addresses the existing gap in histological knowledge regarding mammary tissue in the porcine model.
Results: Our findings suggest that this model encompasses the full spectrum of cancer. It incorporates the key elements of a tumor microenvironment that enable tumor growth and propagation, such as immune cells, blood vessels, fibroblasts, extracellular matrix, fatty acids, and signaling molecules.
Conclusions: This model offers significant potential to advance the understanding of cancer pathogenesis and facilitate the development of innovative therapeutic strategies by closely replicating human tumor biology.
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2025 The Author(s). Animal Models and Experimental Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences.
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