Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant tumor of bone. Analysis of familial cancer syndromes and sporadic cases has strongly implicated both p53 and pRb in its pathogenesis; however, the relative contribution of these mutations to the initiation of osteosarcoma is unclear. We describe here the generation and characterization of a genetically engineered mouse model in which all animals develop short latency malignant osteosarcoma. The genetically engineered mouse model is based on osteoblast-restricted deletion of p53 and pRb. Osteosarcoma development is dependent on loss of p53 and potentiated by loss of pRb, revealing a dominance of p53 mutation in the development of osteosarcoma. The model reproduces many of the defining features of human osteosarcoma including cytogenetic complexity and comparable gene expression signatures, histology, and metastatic behavior. Using a novel in silico methodology termed cytogenetic region enrichment analysis, we demonstrate high conservation of gene expression changes between murine osteosarcoma and known cytogentically rearranged loci from human osteosarcoma. Due to the strong similarity between murine osteosarcoma and human osteosarcoma in this model, this should provide a valuable platform for addressing the molecular genetics of osteosarcoma and for developing novel therapeutic strategies.[Keywords: Cancer; mouse model; osteocarcinoma] Supplemental material is available at http://www.genesdev.org.

Introduction Use of copper radioisotopes in antibody radiolabeling is challenged by reported loss of the radionuclide from the bifunctional chelator used to label the protein. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the thermodynamic stability of the 64Cu-complexes of five commonly used bifunctional chelators (BFCs) and the biodistribution of an antibody labeled with 64Cu using these chelators in tumor-bearing mice. Methods The chelators (p-NH2-Bn-NOTA, BAT-6, p-NH2-Bn-DOTA, DOTA, and SarAr) were conjugated to the anti-GD2 antibody ch14.18, and the conjugated antibody was labeled with 64Cu and injected into mice bearing subcutaneous human melanoma tumors (M21) (n = 3-5 for each study). Biodistribution data were obtained from PET images acquired at 1, 24 and 48 hours post-injection, and at 48 hours post-injection a full ex vivo biodistribution study was carried out. Results The biodistribution, including tumor targeting, was similar for all the radioimmunoconjugates. At 48 h post-injection, the only statistically significant differences in radionuclide uptake (p < 0.05) were between blood, liver, spleen and kidney. For example, liver uptake of [64Cu]ch14.18-p-NH2-Bn-NOTA was 4.74 ± 0.77 per cent of the injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g), and for [64Cu]ch14.18-SarAr was 8.06 ± 0.77 %ID/g. Differences in tumor targeting correlated with variations in tumor size rather than which BFC was used. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that differences in the thermodynamic stability of these chelator-Cu(II) complexes were not associated with significant differences in uptake of the tracer by the tumor. However, there were significant differences in tracer concentration in other tissues, including those involved in clearance of the radioimmunoconjugate (e.g., liver and spleen).

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Normal line-scan diffusion imaging findings indicate relative restriction of diffusion in the metaphysis and parallel orientation of tensors in the physis. Diffusion is initially restricted with decreased blood flow but increases if ischemia lasts longer.