NCI-N87 Metastatic Tumor Model Service for Gastric Cancer

The NCI-N87 Metastatic Tumor Model Service for Gastric Cancer delivers the reference human HER2-positive gastric adenocarcinoma xenograft, uniquely suited to evaluating HER2-directed antibodies, antibody–drug conjugates, and combination regimens. Alfa Cytology provides end-to-end support for this model — authenticated cell expansion in RPMI-based workflows, immunodeficient host preparation, subcutaneous and orthotopic gastric implantation, scheduled efficacy monitoring, and full histopathological and biomarker endpoint analysis — enabling gastric cancer programs to advance HER2-targeted hypotheses with confidence.

Overview of NCI-N87 Metastatic Tumor Model for Gastric Cancer

NCI-N87 is a human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line established by the National Cancer Institute from a liver metastasis of a gastric carcinoma, and it has become the canonical xenograft system for HER2-positive gastroesophageal cancer research. The line carries HER2 (ERBB2) amplification with high-level protein overexpression on the cell surface, and is additionally positive for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and the TAG-72 tumor-associated glycoprotein — a surface-marker trio that has made it the preferred host for immunocytokine, bispecific, and radioimmunotherapy constructs. In vitro, NCI-N87 cells are growth-inhibited by trastuzumab with accompanying suppression of HER2 downstream signaling, providing a clean pharmacodynamic anchor for translational studies.

Fig 1. Histopathology of the NCI-N87 peritoneal metastasis model: H&E, Masson's trichrome, and Picrosirius Red staining plus HBME-1 mesothelial immunostaining of peritoneal nodules from NCI-N87/Vector versus NCI-N87/HOXA11 groups, with quantified collagen volume fraction showing HOXA11-driven mesothelial fibrosis and increased collagen deposition in the peritoneal niche. (Wang, Chao, et al., 2024)

In immunodeficient mice, NCI-N87 engrafts with take rates above 90%: about 5 × 10⁶ cells mixed 1:1 with Matrigel and injected subcutaneously typically produce measurable tumors within two weeks, and the resulting xenografts respond to trastuzumab monotherapy while showing enhanced control when combined with agents such as pertuzumab or CEA-targeted IL-2 variants — an established benchmark behavior for antibody engineering programs. Beyond the flank, surgical implantation of NCI-N87-Luc cells into the subserosa of the gastric body achieves 100% tumor formation with bioluminescence-confirmed spread to regional lymph nodes and distant organs, closely mimicking human dissemination patterns; intraperitoneal inoculation models peritoneal carcinomatosis, and a characterized trastuzumab-resistant derivative (NCI-N87-R) enables mechanism-of-resistance studies in vivo. Together these formats have supported validation of antibody–drug conjugates such as trastuzumab deruxtecan, near-infrared photoimmunotherapy with trastuzumab-IR700, and combination chemotherapies in this clinically important indication.

Cell Line Information: NCI-N87

NCI-N87 (also written NCI N87 or simply N87) is among the most extensively validated gastric cancer xenograft lines. Its defining characteristics are summarized below.

Our Services

Alfa Cytology maintains authenticated, mycoplasma-free NCI-N87 stocks — including NCI-N87-Luc and N87-GFP reporter variants and the NCI-N87-R resistant derivative — alongside established nude and NOD/SCID colonies with surgical capability for gastric orthotopic procedures. From rapid subcutaneous HER2-therapy screens to imaging-guided orthotopic metastasis programs, every study is randomized, quality-controlled, and reported with full statistical interpretation.

Workflow of NCI-N87 Metastatic Tumor Model Construction

Establishing an NCI-N87 study combines routine xenograft technique with gastric surgical expertise for orthotopic formats. The workflow below describes how the model is built and evaluated:

1. Cell Line Verification: NCI-N87 cells are authenticated by STR profiling, confirmed mycoplasma-free, and expanded at controlled passage in RPMI-1640; reporter and resistant derivatives are verified before implantation.
2. Host Preparation and Allocation: Female or male athymic nude or NOD/SCID mice (typically 4–8 weeks old) are acclimatized and randomly assigned to experimental groups.
3. Route-Specific Implantation: Suspensions of 5 × 10⁶ to 1 × 10⁷ cells mixed 1:1 with Matrigel are injected subcutaneously, surgically delivered into the gastric subserosa, or administered intraperitoneally for carcinomatosis modeling.
4. Tumor Establishment Monitoring: Implant sites or surgical recovery are monitored; subcutaneous tumors typically become measurable within about two weeks, after which caliper measurements, body weight, and clinical status are recorded on schedule.
5. Randomization and Dosing: Animals are re-randomized once tumors reach the target size (e.g., 100–300 mm³), and dosing with vehicle, trastuzumab, pertuzumab, or test articles begins on the designated regimen.
6. In-Life Follow-Up: Tumor growth and tolerability are tracked throughout; NCI-N87-Luc cohorts undergo serial bioluminescence imaging in vivo to follow orthotopic growth and metastatic spread.
7. Terminal Endpoint Analysis: At necropsy, primary tumors are excised and weighed; regional lymph nodes, liver, peritoneum, and other organs are examined macroscopically and by hematoxylin and eosin histology, with HER2 and Ki-67 immunohistochemistry performed as specified.
8. Data Analysis and Reporting: Tumor-growth inhibition, imaging signals, metastatic incidence, and biomarker data are statistically evaluated and consolidated into a final study report.

Fig 2. NCI-N87 Metastatic Tumor Model construction workflow.

Case Study-NCI-N87 Metastatic Tumor Model Development

In a representative preclinical engagement, Alfa Cytology implemented the NCI-N87 metastatic gastric cancer model for a sponsor developing a HER2-directed therapeutic candidate. The scope included expansion and authentication of cells, establishment of tumors in immunodeficient hosts by the route selected for the program, balanced allocation of vehicle and reference-antibody arms, scheduled monitoring of tumor growth and animal condition, and terminal analysis of primary tumors with histopathological and HER2-biomarker assessment — producing an integrated dataset that supported the client’s preclinical development planning. Formats can be configured around monotherapy, combination regimens, orthotopic metastasis tracking, or resistance-mechanism studies as program objectives dictate.

Why Choose Alfa Cytology?

Alfa Cytology couples genuine expertise in HER2-targeted study design with the surgical and imaging capabilities this model demands. Reasons sponsors choose our NCI-N87 service include:

• Demonstrated execution with NCI-N87 across nude and NOD/SCID host systems.
• Established trastuzumab benchmark behavior for assay validation and cross-study comparability.
• In-house NCI-N87-Luc and N87-GFP reporter variants with imaging-guided orthotopic capability.
• Access to the NCI-N87-R trastuzumab-resistant derivative for mechanism-of-resistance programs.
• Gastric surgical expertise for subserosal orthotopic implantation with lymph node and organ metastasis readouts.
• Strict randomization, blinded scoring, and clear statistical reporting on agreed timelines.

Contact Us

Ready to move your HER2-positive gastric cancer program forward with a validated in vivo model? The NCI-N87 specialists at Alfa Cytology are standing by to design the right study for you. Reach out to us to discuss routes, endpoints, and timelines, or contact us today for a customized quotation — we look forward to supporting your research.

For research use only. Not intended for any clinical use.