The CT26 Tumor Model For Colorectal Cancer

Investigate novel cytotoxic and immune-modulating therapeutics for colorectal cancer with the syngeneic CT26 mouse model.

Colon cancer and rectal cancer (together colorectal cancer; CRC) are the third most common and lethal cancer types, responsible for killing almost 1 million people every year.

You can develop better treatment candidates fast with Melior’s CT26 syngeneic model —a fast-growing tool for the rapid, reliable investigation of novel therapeutics and effective checkpoint inhibitors.

Speak to An Expert

The Current CRC Treatment Landscape

Surgical intervention is first-line therapy for nearly all CRC patients, but multidisciplinary treatment is vital for preserving longevity and quality of life. Advances in surgical, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy methods have significantly improved outcomes for patients with CRC, but the need for validated, targeted therapies remains urgent.

Drug discovery—developing new pharmacological interventions through invention and innovation – has produced leaps in the CRC therapy world. But clinical trials may also focus on repurposing known drugs for new targets, combining existing drugs to test if they work better in partnership, and designing multiplex strategies that exploit the diverse tools in the current CRC treatment toolbox—across chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted treatments.

Melior’s CT26 mouse model facilitates these goals and de novo development work to improve clinical and survival outcomes for CRC patients.

Rewrite Cancer Therapy with the CT26 Tumor Model

The CT26 tumor model uses a cell line established from BALB/c mice treated with N-nitroso-N-methylurethane (NNMU), a known carcinogenic, to induce colon carcinoma. Researchers can use the CT26 syngeneic model in isolation or to complement our other xenograft human colon cancer (HCT-15) and human PDX colon cancer models.

By implanting colon cancer cells into immunocompetent mice, researchers can study key interchanges between tumor cells and the immune system of the same genetic strain. As a result, the syngeneic CT26 tumor model is equally suitable for investigating immune-modulating and cytotoxic therapeutic avenues. This makes it a necessary addition to the preclinical CRC research armamentarium.

The CT26 syngeneic mouse model yields highly reproducible tumor growth curves capable of detecting minute changes in relatively small group sizes. Whether you are looking to gauge the effectiveness of small molecules, evaluate gene therapies, or test the safety and potency of immune-modulating agents, you can use the CT26 tumor model to complete your in vivo efficacy assessments with confidence.

The CT26 Tumor Model You Can Rely On

Our established CT26 syngeneic mouse model can help push your therapeutic cancer research forward. When you choose Melior, enjoy a preclinical CT26 syngeneic model that is:

  • Fast growing ( only ~10 days to establish and ~10 days treatment)
  • Highly reproducible
  • Well-represented in the literature
  • Capable of detecting small changes in growth rates
  • Responsive to various immunotherapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors
  • Accurate in mimicking the human tumor microenvironment
  • Cost-effective compared to other preclinical models

Tailor-made Services: Designed With You In Mind

Initiate your CT26 tumor model study quickly with a bespoke design to suit your needs. In as little as 3-4 weeks, we help you go from design to results with our flexible, custom services.

Our bespoke analyses include:

  • Tissue collection for immune cell analysis and profiling
  • Whole blood, spleen, and lymph node analysis
  • General observations, including pain analysis
  • Histology and IHC
  • Luciferase assay
  • IVIS imaging
  • FACS analysis
  • PK studies

Ready to get started or looking for a custom model?

We offer face-to-face Zoom calls, ad-hoc consultations, and customized study proposals. Take advantage of a direct line to experienced project managers and our hands-on approach to revision support.

For a comprehensive list of services.

Contact Us

Expand Your Applications with Immuno-theraTRACEⓇ

With our oncology platform, Immuno-theraTRACE®, you can test your immunotherapeutic across 8 syngeneic models. This helps you determine the best target cancer type to advance your immunotherapy.

In addition to testing your drug in our CT26 tumor model, Immuno-theraTRACE® screens immune-modulating agents, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, for their therapeutic potential across a range of tumor types ranging from cold tumors to hot tumors.

All this in a matter of weeks.

This model is included in our Immuno-theraTRACE® oncology platform

Learn more

Did you know this CT26 tumor model has a complementary colorectal cancer xenograft?

We have established a human colorectal cancer (CRC) xenograft model using the HCT-15 cell line. The model is conducted in nude mice lacking T cells and is, therefore, suitable for investigating cytotoxic candidates and other non-immune modulating therapies.

Read about our HCT-15 xenograft model
  • We chose Melior Discovery because they were responsive and cost effective.  We are staying with them as a chosen scientific partner because of their thoughtful scientific input to experimental design and attention to detail.  Their expertise and flexibility allowed us to quickly adapt the study design and evaluate additional outcome measures to pursue unexpected activity.

    Sridharan Rajamani, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist

    Gilead Sciences
  • I have been working with Melior on a number of projects over the course of a few years now.  They have been a great partner throughout this time.  The scientists whom I have worked with have been great problem-solvers and were customer focused.

    Jay Lichter

    Avalon Ventures
  • Melior provided State-of-the-art Preclinical Pharmacology Support for a period of nearly a year where a series of in vivo studies were completed on a weekly basis. The staff was extremely user-friendly and the operational processes were excellent. I can recommend Melior without reservation.

    Richard DiMarchi, PhD

    Cox Professor of Chemistry & Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences Indiana University, Department of Chemistry
  • Because Melior could do the orthotopic intracranial implants, we were able to do survival studies with brain tumor-bearing animals that were treated with our therapy, showing a beautiful survival with our agent versus control. Talk about something that gets your investors going! These beautiful survival curves with our agent versus control and visual photos are in all of our investor decks because… it's powerful.

    Bruce Ruggeri, Ph.D.

    Modifi Bio
  • Melior works in many therapeutic areas, like CNS, inflammatory disease, GI, cardiovascular, and oncology. I was very pleased that when it came to doing tumor studies, both subcutaneous and intracranial, they did them well. They reported on the studies on time and did the data analysis really well.

    Bruce Ruggeri, Ph.D.

    Modifi Bio
  • Their areas of expertise are extensive, and they are very experienced, responsive, and flexible in terms of how the study is run. Their pricing is reasonable, making them the best option for a young, not well-funded company like ours.

    Maxine Gowen

    Tamuro Bio
  • Melior’s team was very experienced and knowledgeable. They were always very open to suggestions and questions, spending a lot of time helping us feel comfortable with the study design. I would give them very high marks.

    Maxine Gowen

    Tamuro Bio
  • The most important factors in choosing to work with Melior were the fit between the tests they could run and our needs, as well as their tight budget and proximity. Melior was the best fit for our research goals.

    Ira Spector

    SFA Therapeutics

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor and Chemotherapy Validation of a CT26 Syngeneic Mouse Model. The CT26 tumor model is created by subcutaneously injecting 1 x106 CT26 cells into the rear flank of Balb/c mice. Once the tumor size reached ~120mm3 (Day 7), mice were randomized into the vehicle control group (treated with normal saline), anti-PD-1 antibody (12.5 mg/kg, IP once per week), or paclitaxel (20 mg/kg, IP once per week). Tumor volume was monitored twice per week using calipers (A). At the end of the study (Day 18), animals were sacrificed, and tumors were excised and weighed (B, C). N=6 for vehicle and anti-PD-1, N=4 for paclitaxel. Data area mean ± SEM. * P<0.05, ** P<0.01 *** P<0.001 by Student’s t-test.

Related Services and Solutions

Not sure if the CT26 tumor model is right for your cancer R&D?

We offer a wide selection of models for oncology research and novel therapeutic development, servicing many cancer types including breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma and more!

Explore our other syngeneic models

Looking for a xenograft model?

Expand your research insights with our collection of xenograft models for oncology research.

Complement your syngeneic studies with our xenograft models

Can’t choose one model?

Get more from your research with Melior’s unique in vivo pharmacology platforms, including immuno-theraTRACE® for oncology.

Learn more about our in vivo pharmacology service platforms

Publications

Kittikulsuth, W., Nakano, D., Kitada, K., Uyama, T., Ueda, N., Asano, E., … & Nishiyama, A. (2023). Vasoactive intestinal peptide blockade suppresses tumor growth by regulating macrophage polarization and function in CT26 tumor-bearing mice. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 927.

Sato, Y., Fu, Y., Liu, H., Lee, M. Y., & Shaw, M. H. (2021). Tumor-immune profiling of CT-26 and Colon 26 syngeneic mouse models reveals mechanism of anti-PD-1 response. BMC cancer, 21, 1-12.

Barrera-Avalos, C., Díaz, X., Madrid, B., Michelson, S. A., Robles-Planells, C., Sánchez-Guerrero, G., … & Acuña-Castillo, C. (2021). In vivo antitumor effect against murine cells of CT26 colon cancer and EL4 lymphoma by autologous whole tumor dead cells. BioMed Research International, 2021(1), 6626851.

Suzuki, M., Matsuda, T., Nakajima, K., Yokouchi, Y., Kuge, Y., & Ogawa, M. (2022). PD1 blockade alters cell-cycle distribution and affects 3′-deoxy-3′-[18F] fluorothymidine uptake in a mouse CT26 tumor model. Annals of Nuclear Medicine, 36(11), 931-940.

Stangl, S., Gehrmann, M., Dressel, R., Alves, F., Dullin, C., Themelis, G., … & Multhoff, G. (2011). In vivo imaging of CT26 mouse tumours by using cmHsp70. 1 monoclonal antibody. Journal of cellular and molecular medicine, 15(4), 874-887.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CT26?

CT26 is a murine colon carcinoma cell line derived from a BALB/c mouse. It is commonly used in cancer research to study colon cancer and tumor immunology. The CT26 tumor model is particularly valuable because it can be used in syngeneic BALB/c mice, allowing researchers to investigate tumor-immune system interactions in an immunocompetent environment. This model helps to provide insights into the mechanisms of tumor growth and metastasis and the potential for developing new cancer treatments.

What is the difference between MC38 and CT26?

MC38 and CT26 are both murine colon carcinoma cell lines used in cancer research, but they have distinct origins and applications. Whereas MC38 is derived from a colon adenocarcinoma induced by a carcinogen (dimethylhydrazine) in C57BL/6 mice, CT26 is derived from a chemically-induced colon carcinoma in BALB/c mice. Both can be used in syngeneic models to study tumor-immune interactions and immunotherapies. Both are complementary tools in cancer research, enabling researchers to choose the mouse strain with the immune profile that aligns best with their study objectives or using both models to gain comprehensive insights across different genetic and immunological contexts, enhancing the robustness of the cancer R&D findings.

Is there a xenograft model for colon cancer?

Yes, the HCT-15 xenograft model for human colorectal cancer (CRC) can be used to investigate possible therapeutic candidates, such as those that work by inducing cytotoxicity. However, unlike the CT26 syngeneic model, xenografts operate in immunocompromised mice and are not ideal for evaluating immune-modulating therapies. For this, researchers can use the CT26 syngeneic model in combination with the xenograft human colon cancer (HCT-15) and other human PDX colon cancer models to complement their studies and advance their CRC R&D.

Citations

  1. World Health Organization (2022) Cancer. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer (Published 03 February 2022, Accessed: 06 June 2023).
  2. The American Cancer Society (2023) Colorectal cancer research: New colorectal cancer treatments, Colorectal Cancer Research | New Colorectal Cancer Treatments. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/colon-rectal-cancer/about/new-research (Published 30 March 2023, Accessed: 06 June 2023).