Development of a Novel Model for Streptozotocin-induced Renal Cell Tumors and Chronic Diabetes in Göttingen Minipigs

The possibility of establishing a diabetes and renal tumor induction model in Göttingen minipigs by administration of streptozotocin (STZ) was investigated in a 60-month observation. Nine 5-week-old male Göttingen minipigs received single intravenous doses of STZ (300 mg/kg; n = 6), or saline (n = 3). The results of blood glucose levels and glucose tolerance tests showed that STZ-administered animals were in a chronic diabetic state. In the animals necropsied at 60 months after STZ administration, nodules were observed in the kidneys in 2 out of 4 animals. The nodules were histopathologically diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma in one case and as renal cell adenoma with multiplicity in the other. The high prevalence of rare tumors, coincidence of benign and malignant tumors of the same origin, occurrence of tumors with a multi-centric nature, and consistency of tumor character and target organ with other STZ-treated species led us to the conclusion that not only a stable diabetes animal model but also a chemical-induced tumor model had been successfully developed with a single administration of STZ to Göttingen minipigs.