INDUCTION OF OCULAR NEOPLASMS IN FISCHER RATS BY INTRAOCULAR INJECTION OF NICKEL SUBSULFIDE

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 22  (6) , 768-782
Abstract
Nickel subsulfide, .alpha.Ni3S2, was administered to albino Fischer rats by a single injection into the vitreous body of the right eye (0.5 mg .alpha.Ni3S2/rat, suspended in 20 .mu.l of NaCl vehicle). Control rats received a similar injection of the vehicle. Malignant tumors developed in the injected eyes of 14/15 .alpha.Ni3S2-treated rats by 8 mo. (vs. 0/11 controls, P < 0.001). Five of the injected eyes of .alpha.Ni3S2-treated rats contained multiple tumors. The 21 eye tumors that were induced by .alpha.Ni3S2 included 11 melanomas, 4 retinoblatomas, 3 gliomas, and 3 unclassified malignant neoplasms. Three of the melanomas developed extraocular extensions; 1 melanoma metastasized to lungs and brain. Although the melanomas arose from amelanotic uveal melanocytes, melanosomes were observed by EM. This study provides a new experimental model for chemical induction of ocular neoplasms. As a procedure to test the carcinogenicity of Ni compounds, intraocular injection has the advantages of short latency period, high tumor incidence, and ease of tumor detection.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: