Lymph node colonization induces tumor-immune tolerance to promote distant metastasis.

For many solid malignancies, lymph node (LN) involvement represents a harbinger of distant metastatic disease and, therefore, an important prognostic factor. Beyond its utility as a biomarker, whether and how LN metastasis plays an active role in shaping distant metastasis remains an open question. Here, we develop a syngeneic melanoma mouse model of LN metastasis to investigate how tumors spread to LNs and whether LN colonization influences metastasis to distant tissues.

Molecular characterisation of the Hyp deletion and an improved assay for its detection.

The Hyp mouse is a commonly used model for the study of the phosphate wasting disease X-linked hypophosphataemia. The defect in this mouse line is a deletion that includes exons 16 to 22 of Phex, although the exact extent of this X chromosome deletion remains unknown. This complicates genotyping which increases costs, time and difficulty of working with this important model.