Abstract 97: Establishment of a new in vivo model for human T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) suitable for evaluation of the tumor stromal component

T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a hematological hematopoietic T cell precursor disorder with a not well defined etiology, although it would be linked to NOTCH signaling defects. CUTLL1 (Columbia University T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma 1) is a human T-ALL cell line displaying biological responses to NOTCH inhibition, thus mimicking the disease´s etiology. The absence of human T-ALL cell lines with verifiably clinical aspects turns the establishment of an in vivo model an asset for preclinical assays; further, it serves to study the interaction between disease-mimicking cells and their surrounding niche. We have established an in vivo model for T-ALL in immunosuppressed NOD.CB17-Prkdc scid/J mice using CUTLL1 cells. Tumors developed after subcutaneous inoculation of a minimum dose of 2x10E7 cells and became visible 2.5 weeks post-inoculation into the right flank (809.1±67.33 mmE3). Administration of larger cell doses (4x10E7) did not affect the lapse at which tumors appear, but originated larger tumors (3830±1571 mmE3, p