Abstract: Objective: To construct a hypoxic oral cancer model in nude mouse and provide a basis for tumor hypoxic-related studies in vivo. Methods: The pedicled skin flaps supplied by unilateral deep iliac circumflex artery were designed on the back of nude mice. After the flaps were elevated and sutured in situ, the optimal site of hypoxia was determined by morphological observation and HIF-1alpha detection. After tumor formation by inoculation of oral cancer cells subcutaneously in nude mice, flaps with tumors were incised and valved in the same way. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of HIF-1alpha in oral cancer cells of nude mice. Results: When the length-width ratio of pedicled dorsal skin flaps in nude mice was 2-3:1, the color of the flaps was normal, the structure and morphology of skin squamous cells in distal 1/3 parts kept unchanged in which the expression of HIF-1alpha was significantly up-regulated. Furthermore, the expression of HIF-1alpha in tumor cells was significantly increased 48 hours after tumorigenesis by flapping, which confirmed the dynamic changes of hypoxic state in tumors. Conclusion: The present study provided a simple and feasible way to establish hypoxic model of oral cancer supplied by unilateral deep circumflex iliac artery in nude mice which can be applied as a good animal model for hypoxic-related research in vivo.

Key words: oral squamous cell carcinoma, hypoxia, nude mouse model, pedicled skin flap, hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha