The SK-OV-3 Xenograft Model for Human Ovarian Cancer
Investigate therapies in a drug-resistant ovarian cancer model
Ovarian cancer affects approximately 1 in 87 women over their lifetime. 35.3% of mucinous ovarian carcinomas exhibit HER2 overexpression, which is associated with resistance to TNF-mediated cytotoxicity.
The SK-OV-3 cell line exhibits this HER2 overexpression and is resistant to other cytotoxic drugs, such as diphtheria toxin, cisplatin, and adriamycin, in addition to TNF-mediated cytotoxicity. Thus, it is valuable in the study of drug-resistant ovarian cancer.
Decades of discovery translated to a xenograft model
The SK-OV-3 cell line was first isolated in 1973 from the ascitic fluid of a 64-year-old Caucasian female diagnosed with ovarian adenocarcinoma and has supported over 50 years of research into therapeutic development for ovarian cancer.
Cell lines provide an essential foundation for cancer research but are limited by their two-dimensional growth environment, which fails to replicate the complexity of actual tumors. The SK-OV-3 xenograft model overcomes this limitation by growing the cells in a three-dimensional system that mimics the tumor microenvironment. This enables more accurate assessments of drug efficacy, tumor behavior, and therapeutic potential in vivo.
Get your candidates to the clinic faster with a xenograft of an established cell line.
Advantages of the SK-OV-3 model
- Gain insights into metastasis with a model that mimics ovarian tumor spread.
- Ensure reliable experiments with consistent tumor growth.
- Elevate a well-studied cell line to an in vivo environment.
- Shorten timelines with models ready for treatment 4 weeks post-cell inoculation.
Customize your SK-OV-3 xenograft study
Tailor your ovarian cancer research with bespoke services, including PK analysis, flow cytometry, ELISA, and tissue sample collection for biomarker evaluation.
Enhance your study’s depth with histology, H&E staining, and imaging options tailored to your research goals.
Human ovarian cancer SK-OV-3 xenograft model. 3×106 SK-OV-3 cells were subcutaneously injected into the rear flank of nude mice. Once the tumor size reached ~100 mm3 (Day 28), mice were randomized into vehicle control group (treated with normal saline) or paclitaxel (20 mg/kg IP once/week). The growth of tumors was monitored twice per week using calipers (A). At the end of the study (Day 42), animals were sacrificed, tumors excised, and weighed (B, C). Data area mean +/- SEM. N=5. * P< 0.05, ** P < 0.01, *** P< 0.001 by Student’s t-test.
Publications
Frequently Asked Questions
The SK-OV-3 xenograft model is ready for treatment approximately four weeks after cell inoculation, with a typical treatment window of three to four weeks. This timeline supports efficient preclinical research planning.
SK-OV-3 cells can be implanted subcutaneously into the rear flank or orthotopically into the ovary of immunocompromised mice (nude or SCID).
SK-OV-3 cells are resistant to several cytotoxic drugs, including:
- Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)
- Diphtheria toxin
- Cisplatin
- Adriamycin
This resistance is partly attributed to the cell line’s overexpression of HER2 and intermediate expression of EGFR, which provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of drug resistance and receptor-targeted therapies.
Citations
- American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2024. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2024.
- McCaughan, H., Um, I., Langdon, S. P., Harrison, D. J., & Faratian, D. (2012). HER2 expression in ovarian carcinoma: caution and complexity in biomarker analysis. Journal of clinical pathology, 65(7), 670–672. https://doi.org/10.1136/jclinpath-2011-200616
- Lichtenstein, A., Berenson, J., Gera, J. F., Waldburger, K., Martinez-Maza, O., & Berek, J. S. (1990). Resistance of human ovarian cancer cells to tumor necrosis factor and lymphokine-activated killer cells: correlation with expression of HER2/neu oncogenes. Cancer research, 50(22), 7364–7370.