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El Omar R, Abdellaoui N, Coulibaly ST, Fontenille L, Lanza F, Gachet C, Freund JN, Negroni M, Kissa K, Tavian M. Macrophage depletion overcomes human hematopoietic cell engraftment failure in zebrafish embryo. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:305. [PMID: 38693109 PMCID: PMC11063059 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06682-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Zebrafish is widely adopted as a grafting model for studying human development and diseases. Current zebrafish xenotransplantations are performed using embryo recipients, as the adaptive immune system, responsible for host versus graft rejection, only reaches maturity at juvenile stage. However, transplanted primary human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSC) rapidly disappear even in zebrafish embryos, suggesting that another barrier to transplantation exists before the onset of adaptive immunity. Here, using a labelled macrophage zebrafish line, we demonstrated that engraftment of human HSC induces a massive recruitment of macrophages which rapidly phagocyte transplanted cells. Macrophages depletion, by chemical or pharmacological treatments, significantly improved the uptake and survival of transplanted cells, demonstrating the crucial implication of these innate immune cells for the successful engraftment of human cells in zebrafish. Beyond identifying the reasons for human hematopoietic cell engraftment failure, this work images the fate of human cells in real time over several days in macrophage-depleted zebrafish embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reine El Omar
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, EFS Grand-Est, BPPS UMR-S1255, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Lorraine, CITHEFOR, F-54505, Vandoeuvre Les Nancy, France
| | | | - Safiatou T Coulibaly
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Strasbourg, France
- ITI Innovec, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - François Lanza
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, EFS Grand-Est, BPPS UMR-S1255, Strasbourg, France
| | - Christian Gachet
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, EFS Grand-Est, BPPS UMR-S1255, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jean-Noel Freund
- ITI Innovec, Strasbourg, France
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, IRFAC/UMR-S1113, Strasbourg, France
- INSERM, U1256 - NGERE, Université de Lorraine, 54500, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Matteo Negroni
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Strasbourg, France
- ITI Innovec, Strasbourg, France
| | - Karima Kissa
- University of Montpellier, VBIC, INSERM U1047, Montpellier, France
- AZELEAD SAS, Montpellier, France
| | - Manuela Tavian
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, EFS Grand-Est, BPPS UMR-S1255, Strasbourg, France.
- ITI Innovec, Strasbourg, France.
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, IRFAC/UMR-S1113, Strasbourg, France.
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2
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Yvone GM, Breunig JJ. Pediatric low-grade glioma models: advances and ongoing challenges. Front Oncol 2024; 13:1346949. [PMID: 38318325 PMCID: PMC10839015 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1346949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Pediatric low-grade gliomas represent the most common childhood brain tumor class. While often curable, some tumors fail to respond and even successful treatments can have life-long side effects. Many clinical trials are underway for pediatric low-grade gliomas. However, these trials are expensive and challenging to organize due to the heterogeneity of patients and subtypes. Advances in sequencing technologies are helping to mitigate this by revealing the molecular landscapes of mutations in pediatric low-grade glioma. Functionalizing these mutations in the form of preclinical models is the next step in both understanding the disease mechanisms as well as for testing therapeutics. However, such models are often more difficult to generate due to their less proliferative nature, and the heterogeneity of tumor microenvironments, cell(s)-of-origin, and genetic alterations. In this review, we discuss the molecular and genetic alterations and the various preclinical models generated for the different types of pediatric low-grade gliomas. We examined the different preclinical models for pediatric low-grade gliomas, summarizing the scientific advances made to the field and therapeutic implications. We also discuss the advantages and limitations of the various models. This review highlights the importance of preclinical models for pediatric low-grade gliomas while noting the challenges and future directions of these models to improve therapeutic outcomes of pediatric low-grade gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Griselda Metta Yvone
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Joshua J. Breunig
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Center for Neural Sciences in Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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3
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Fontana CM, Van Doan H. Zebrafish xenograft as a tool for the study of colorectal cancer: a review. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:23. [PMID: 38195619 PMCID: PMC10776567 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06291-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death, mostly due to metastatic disease and the fact that many patients already show signs of metastasis at the time of first diagnosis. Current CRC therapies negatively impact patients' quality of life and have little to no effect on combating the tumor once the dissemination has started. Danio rerio (zebrafish) is a popular animal model utilized in cancer research. One of its main advantages is the ease of xenograft transplantation due to the fact that zebrafish larvae lack the adaptative immune system, guaranteeing the impossibility of rejection. In this review, we have presented the many works that choose zebrafish xenograft as a tool for the study of CRC, highlighting the methods used as well as the promising new therapeutic molecules that have been identified due to this animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Maria Fontana
- Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Office of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Hien Van Doan
- Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
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4
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Shen Y, Sheng R, Guo R. Application of Zebrafish as a Model for Anti-Cancer Activity Evaluation and Toxicity Testing of Natural Products. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:827. [PMID: 37375774 DOI: 10.3390/ph16060827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing natural product-based anti-cancer drugs/agents is a promising way to overcome the serious side effects and toxicity of traditional chemotherapeutics for cancer treatment. However, rapid assessment of the in vivo anti-cancer activities of natural products is a challenge. Alternatively, zebrafish are useful model organisms and perform well in addressing this challenging issue. Nowadays, a growing number of studies have utilized zebrafish models to evaluate the in vivo activities of natural compounds. Herein, we reviewed the application of zebrafish models for evaluating the anti-cancer activity and toxicity of natural products over the past years, summarized its process and benefits, and provided future outlooks for the development of natural product-based anti-cancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Shen
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Ruilong Sheng
- CQM-Centro de Química da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, Universidade da Madeira, 9000-390 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Ruihua Guo
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquatic-Product Processing & Preservation, Shanghai 201306, China
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Storage and Preservation (Shanghai), Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai 201306, China
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5
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Laroche FJF, Li S, Shen N, Hwang SK, Nguyen G, Yu W, Wong CK, Quinton RJ, Berman JN, Liu CT, Singh A, Ganem NJ, Thiagalingam S, Feng H. S1P1 Threonine 236 Phosphorylation Mediates the Invasiveness of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and Sensitivity to FTY720. Cells 2023; 12:980. [PMID: 37048053 PMCID: PMC10093541 DOI: 10.3390/cells12070980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyperactive sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) signaling is associated with a poor prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Despite recent evidence that links the S1P receptor 1 (S1P1) to TNBC cell survival, its role in TNBC invasion and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Combining analyses of human TNBC cells with zebrafish xenografts, we found that phosphorylation of S1P receptor 1 (S1P1) at threonine 236 (T236) is critical for TNBC dissemination. Compared to luminal breast cancer cells, TNBC cells exhibit a significant increase of phospho-S1P1 T236 but not the total S1P1 levels. Misexpression of phosphorylation-defective S1P1 T236A (alanine) decreases TNBC cell migration in vitro and disease invasion in zebrafish xenografts. Pharmacologic disruption of S1P1 T236 phosphorylation, using either a pan-AKT inhibitor (MK2206) or an S1P1 functional antagonist (FTY720, an FDA-approved drug for treating multiple sclerosis), suppresses TNBC cell migration in vitro and tumor invasion in vivo. Finally, we show that human TNBC cells with AKT activation and elevated phospho-S1P1 T236 are sensitive to FTY720-induced cytotoxic effects. These findings indicate that the AKT-enhanced phosphorylation of S1P1 T236 mediates much of the TNBC invasiveness, providing a potential biomarker to select TNBC patients for the clinical application of FTY720.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice J. F. Laroche
- Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Sheng Li
- Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Institute of Agro-Bioengineering and College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Ning Shen
- Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Soo Kyung Hwang
- Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Gina Nguyen
- Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Wenling Yu
- Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Chen Khuan Wong
- Biomedical Genetics Section, Department of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Cancer Center, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Ryan J. Quinton
- Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Jason N. Berman
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Ching-Ti Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Anurag Singh
- Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Neil J. Ganem
- Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Sam Thiagalingam
- Biomedical Genetics Section, Department of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Cancer Center, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Hui Feng
- Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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6
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Gatzweiler C, Ridinger J, Ayhan S, Najafi S, Peterziel H, Witt O, Oehme I. Evaluation of Antitumor and On-Target Activity of HDAC Inhibitors with the Zebrafish Embryo Xenograft Model. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2589:75-85. [PMID: 36255618 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2788-4_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Reliable preclinical drug testing models for cancer research are urgently needed with zebrafish embryo models emerging as a powerful vertebrate model for xenotransplantation studies. Here, we describe the evaluation of toxicity, efficacy, and on-target activity of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors in a zebrafish embryo yolk sac xenotransplantation model of medulloblastoma and neuroblastoma cells. For this, we performed toxicity assays with our zebrafish drug library consisting of 28 clinically relevant targeted as well as chemotherapeutic drugs with zebrafish embryos. We further engrafted zebrafish embryos with fluorescently labeled pediatric tumor cells (SK-N-BE(2)-C, HD-MB03, or MED8A) and monitored the progression after HDAC inhibitor treatment of xenotransplanted tumors through tumor volume measurements with high-content confocal microscopy in a multi-well format. The on-target activity of HDAC inhibitors was verified through immunohistochemistry staining on paraffin-embedded early larvae. Overall, the zebrafish embryo xenotransplantation model allows for fast and cost-efficient in vivo evaluation of targeted drug toxicity, efficacy, and on-target activity in the field of precision oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Gatzweiler
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Johannes Ridinger
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simay Ayhan
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, University of Heidelberg Medical Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sara Najafi
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, University of Heidelberg Medical Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Heike Peterziel
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Olaf Witt
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, University of Heidelberg Medical Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ina Oehme
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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7
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Zhou Z, Li J, Hong J, Chen S, Chen M, Wang L, Lin W, Ye Y. Interleukin-15 and chemokine ligand 19 enhance cytotoxic effects of chimeric antigen receptor T cells using zebrafish xenograft model of gastric cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1002361. [PMID: 36618357 PMCID: PMC9816141 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1002361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have been proven effective for the treatment of B-cell-mediated malignancies. Currently, the development of efficient tools that supply CAR T cells for the treatment of other malignancies would have great impact. In this study, interleukin (IL)-15 and C-C motif chemokine ligand 19 (CCL19) were introduced into natural killer group 2D (NKG2D)-based CARs to generate 15×19 CAR T cells, which remarkably increased T-cell expansion and promoted the production of central memory T (Tcm) cells. 15×19 CAR T cells showed greater cytotoxicity to gastric cell lines than conventional CAR T cells and produced higher levels of IL-15 and CCL-19, which resulted in increased responder T cell chemotaxis and reduced expression of T cell exhaustion markers. A live zebrafish model was used for single-cell visualization of local cytotoxicity and metastatic cancers. Administration of 15×19 CAR T cells resulted in significant shrinking of gastric cancer xenograft tumors and expansion of 15×19 CAR T cells in zebrafish models. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that 15×19 CAR T cells are highly efficient in killing gastric cancer cells, are effective to avoid off-target effects, and migrate to local and metastatic sites for long-term surveillance of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhifeng Zhou
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China
| | - Jieyu Li
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China
| | - Jingwen Hong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China
| | - Shuping Chen
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Mingshui Chen
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Wansong Lin
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China,*Correspondence: Yunbin Ye, ; Wansong Lin,
| | - Yunbin Ye
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China,*Correspondence: Yunbin Ye, ; Wansong Lin,
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8
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McKeown BT, Relja NJ, Hall SR, Gebremeskel S, MacLeod JM, Veinotte CJ, Bennett LG, Ohlund LB, Sleno L, Jakeman DL, Berman JN, Johnston B, Goralski KB. Pilot study of jadomycin B pharmacokinetics and anti-tumoral effects in zebrafish larvae and mouse breast cancer xenograft models. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2022; 100:1065-1076. [PMID: 35985040 DOI: 10.1139/cjpp-2022-0152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Despite numerous therapeutic options, multidrug resistance (MDR) remains an obstacle to successful breast cancer therapy. Jadomycin B, a natural product derived from Streptomyces venezuelae ISP5230, maintains cytotoxicity in MDR human breast cancer cells. Our objectives were to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, toxicity, anti-tumoral, and anti-metastatic effects of jadomycin B in zebrafish larvae and mice. In a zebrafish larval xenograft model, jadomycin B significantly reduced the proliferation of human MDA-MB-231 cells at or below its maximum tolerated dose (40 µm). In female Balb/C mice, a single intraperitoneal dose (6 mg/kg) was rapidly absorbed with a maximum serum concentration of 3.4 ± 0.27 µm. Jadomycin B concentrations declined biphasically with an elimination half-life of 1.7 ± 0.058 h. In the 4T1 mouse mammary carcinoma model, jadomycin B (12 mg/kg every 12 h from day 6 to 15 after tumor cell injection) decreased primary tumor volume compared to vehicle control. Jadomycin B-treated mice did not exhibit weight loss, nor significant increases in biomarkers of impaired hepatic (alanine aminotransferase) and renal (creatinine) function. In conclusion, jadomycin B demonstrated a good safety profile and provided partial anti-tumoral effects, warranting further dose-escalation safety and efficacy studies in MDR breast cancer models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan T McKeown
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.,Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Nicholas J Relja
- Faculty of Health, College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Steven R Hall
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Simon Gebremeskel
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Jeanna M MacLeod
- Faculty of Health, College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Chansey J Veinotte
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, B3K 6R8, Canada
| | - Leah G Bennett
- Faculty of Health, College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Leanne B Ohlund
- Chemistry department/CERMO-FC, Faculty of Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, H2X 2J6, Canada
| | - Lekha Sleno
- Chemistry department/CERMO-FC, Faculty of Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, H2X 2J6, Canada
| | - David L Jakeman
- Faculty of Health, College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.,Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Jason N Berman
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, B3K 6R8, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 5B2, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Brent Johnston
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.,Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Kerry B Goralski
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.,Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.,Faculty of Health, College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.,Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, B3K 6R8, Canada
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9
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Di Franco G, Usai A, Piccardi M, Cateni P, Palmeri M, Pollina LE, Gaeta R, Marmorino F, Cremolini C, Dente L, Massolo A, Raffa V, Morelli L. Zebrafish Patient-Derived Xenograft Model to Predict Treatment Outcomes of Colorectal Cancer Patients. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10071474. [PMID: 35884780 PMCID: PMC9313122 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of zebrafish embryos for personalized medicine has become increasingly popular. We present a co-clinical trial aiming to evaluate the use of zPDX (zebrafish Patient-Derived Xenografts) in predicting the response to chemotherapy regimens used for colorectal cancer patients. zPDXs are generated by xenografting tumor tissues in two days post-fertilization zebrafish embryos. zPDXs were exposed to chemotherapy regimens (5-FU, FOLFIRI, FOLFOX, FOLFOXIRI) for 48 h. We used a linear mixed effect model to evaluate the zPDX-specific response to treatments showing for 4/36 zPDXs (11%), a statistically significant reduction of tumor size compared to controls. We used the RECIST criteria to compare the outcome of each patient after chemotherapy with the objective response of its own zPDX model. Of the 36 patients enrolled, 8 metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), response rate after first-line therapy, and the zPDX chemosensitivity profile were available. Of eight mCRC patients, five achieved a partial response and three had a stable disease. In 6/8 (75%) we registered a concordance between the response of the patient and the outcomes reported in the corresponding zPDX. Our results provide evidence that the zPDX model can reflect the outcome in mCRC patients, opening a new frontier to personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregorio Di Franco
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (G.D.F.); (M.P.)
| | - Alice Usai
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, S.S. 12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.U.); (M.P.); (P.C.); (L.D.); (A.M.); (V.R.)
| | - Margherita Piccardi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, S.S. 12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.U.); (M.P.); (P.C.); (L.D.); (A.M.); (V.R.)
| | - Perla Cateni
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, S.S. 12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.U.); (M.P.); (P.C.); (L.D.); (A.M.); (V.R.)
| | - Matteo Palmeri
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (G.D.F.); (M.P.)
| | - Luca Emanuele Pollina
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.E.P.); (R.G.)
| | - Raffaele Gaeta
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Division of Surgical Pathology, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.E.P.); (R.G.)
| | - Federica Marmorino
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (F.M.); (C.C.)
- Department of Translational Research and New Technology in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Cremolini
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (F.M.); (C.C.)
- Department of Translational Research and New Technology in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Luciana Dente
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, S.S. 12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.U.); (M.P.); (P.C.); (L.D.); (A.M.); (V.R.)
| | - Alessandro Massolo
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, S.S. 12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.U.); (M.P.); (P.C.); (L.D.); (A.M.); (V.R.)
| | - Vittoria Raffa
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, S.S. 12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.U.); (M.P.); (P.C.); (L.D.); (A.M.); (V.R.)
| | - Luca Morelli
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (G.D.F.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-050-996820
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10
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Hason M, Jovicic J, Vonkova I, Bojic M, Simon-Vermot T, White RM, Bartunek P. Bioluminescent Zebrafish Transplantation Model for Drug Discovery. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:893655. [PMID: 35559262 PMCID: PMC9086674 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.893655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, zebrafish have accompanied the mouse as a robust animal model for cancer research. The possibility of screening small-molecule inhibitors in a large number of zebrafish embryos makes this model particularly valuable. However, the dynamic visualization of fluorescently labeled tumor cells needs to be complemented by a more sensitive, easy, and rapid mode for evaluating tumor growth in vivo to enable high-throughput screening of clinically relevant drugs. In this study we proposed and validated a pre-clinical screening model for drug discovery by utilizing bioluminescence as our readout for the determination of transplanted cancer cell growth and inhibition in zebrafish embryos. For this purpose, we used NanoLuc luciferase, which ensured rapid cancer cell growth quantification in vivo with high sensitivity and low background when compared to conventional fluorescence measurements. This allowed us large-scale evaluation of in vivo drug responses of 180 kinase inhibitors in zebrafish. Our bioluminescent screening platform could facilitate identification of new small-molecules for targeted cancer therapy as well as for drug repurposing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Hason
- Laboratory of Cell Differentiation, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jovana Jovicic
- Laboratory of Cell Differentiation, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Ivana Vonkova
- CZ-OPENSCREEN, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Milan Bojic
- CZ-OPENSCREEN, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Theresa Simon-Vermot
- Department of Cancer Biology & Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Richard M. White
- Department of Cancer Biology & Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Petr Bartunek
- Laboratory of Cell Differentiation, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
- CZ-OPENSCREEN, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Petr Bartunek,
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11
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Sarmiento BE, Callegari S, Ghotme KA, Akle V. Patient-Derived Xenotransplant of CNS Neoplasms in Zebrafish: A Systematic Review. Cells 2022; 11:cells11071204. [PMID: 35406768 PMCID: PMC8998145 DOI: 10.3390/cells11071204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma and neuroblastoma are the most common central nervous system malignant tumors in adult and pediatric populations. Both are associated with poor survival. These tumors are highly heterogeneous, having complex interactions among different cells within the tumor and with the tumor microenvironment. One of the main challenges in the neuro-oncology field is achieving optimal conditions to evaluate a tumor’s molecular genotype and phenotype. In this respect, the zebrafish biological model is becoming an excellent alternative for studying carcinogenic processes and discovering new treatments. This review aimed to describe the results of xenotransplantation of patient-derived CNS tumors in zebrafish models. The reviewed studies show that it is possible to maintain glioblastoma and neuroblastoma primary cell cultures and transplant the cells into zebrafish embryos. The zebrafish is a suitable biological model for understanding tumor progression and the effects of different treatments. This model offers new perspectives in providing personalized care and improving outcomes for patients living with central nervous system tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz E. Sarmiento
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá 11711, Colombia; (B.E.S.); (S.C.)
| | - Santiago Callegari
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá 11711, Colombia; (B.E.S.); (S.C.)
| | - Kemel A. Ghotme
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Bogotá 111071, Colombia;
- Translational Neuroscience Research Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía 250001, Colombia
| | - Veronica Akle
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá 11711, Colombia; (B.E.S.); (S.C.)
- Correspondence:
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12
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Functional Therapeutic Target Validation Using Pediatric Zebrafish Xenograft Models. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030849. [PMID: 35159116 PMCID: PMC8834194 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Despite the major progress of precision and personalized oncology, a significant therapeutic benefit is only achieved in cases with directly druggable genetic alterations. This highlights the need for additional methods that reliably predict each individual patient’s response in a clinically meaningful time, e.g., through ex vivo functional drug screen profiling. Moreover, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models are more predictive than cell culture studies, as they reconstruct cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions and consider the tumor microenvironment, drug metabolism and toxicities. Zebrafish PDXs (zPDX) are nowadays emerging as a fast model allowing for multiple drugs to be tested at the same time in a clinically relevant time window. Here, we show that functional drug response profiling of zPDX from primary material obtained through the INdividualized Therapy FOr Relapsed Malignancies in Childhood (INFORM) pediatric precision oncology pipeline provides additional key information for personalized precision oncology. Abstract The survival rate among children with relapsed tumors remains poor, due to tumor heterogeneity, lack of directly actionable tumor drivers and multidrug resistance. Novel personalized medicine approaches tailored to each tumor are urgently needed to improve cancer treatment. Current pediatric precision oncology platforms, such as the INFORM (INdividualized Therapy FOr Relapsed Malignancies in Childhood) study, reveal that molecular profiling of tumor tissue identifies targets associated with clinical benefit in a subgroup of patients only and should be complemented with functional drug testing. In such an approach, patient-derived tumor cells are exposed to a library of approved oncological drugs in a physiological setting, e.g., in the form of animal avatars injected with patient tumor cells. We used molecularly fully characterized tumor samples from the INFORM study to compare drug screen results of individual patient-derived cell models in functional assays: (i) patient-derived spheroid cultures within a few days after tumor dissociation; (ii) tumor cells reisolated from the corresponding mouse PDX; (iii) corresponding long-term organoid-like cultures and (iv) drug evaluation with the corresponding zebrafish PDX (zPDX) model. Each model had its advantage and complemented the others for drug hit and drug combination selection. Our results provide evidence that in vivo zPDX drug screening is a promising add-on to current functional drug screening in precision medicine platforms.
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13
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Wang J, Zhang XY, Xu DY. Zebrafish xenograft model for studying the function of lncRNA SNHG4 in the proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer. J Gastrointest Oncol 2022; 13:210-220. [PMID: 35284103 PMCID: PMC8899727 DOI: 10.21037/jgo-21-832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The zebrafish xenograft model has become a reliable in vivo model for human cancer research. Compared to a mouse model, the zebrafish xenograft has many advantages, including optical transparency, intuitive in vivo observation, and speed. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as crucial regulatory factors in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). The biological function of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 4 (SNHG4) in CRC is still unclear. METHODS We analyzed the expression of SNHG4 in CRC patient samples by the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) software. The quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify in CRC cell lines. The colony formation assay was used to study the cell proliferation, and we used the transwell assay to detect the migration ability. Then the zebrafish xenograft models were used to confirm these roles of SNHG4 in vivo. Moreover, we detected epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) related genes by qRT-PCR. RESULTS We found the expression of SNHG4 was upregulated in CRC patient samples by analyzing GEPIA software, which was also verified in CRC cell lines. We also found that silencing SNHG4 inhibited the proliferation and migration of CRC cells, and its roles were verified in zebrafish xenografts in vivo. Further, we found that the expression of E-cadherin was significantly upregulated and N-cadherin was downregulated when knocking-down SNHG4 in CRC cells. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrated that SNHG4 played oncogenic roles in CRC, which could be a potential target for treatment of CRC patients, and the results strongly revealed that zebrafish xenograft could be used for functional research of lncRNAs in human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Huai’an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Huai’an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Dong-Yan Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai’an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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14
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Piccolo O, Lincoln JD, Melong N, Orr BC, Fernandez NR, Borsavage J, Berman JN, Robar J, Ha MN. Radiation dose enhancement using gold nanoparticles with a diamond linear accelerator target: a multiple cell type analysis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1559. [PMID: 35091583 PMCID: PMC8799734 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05339-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) is an effective cancer treatment modality, but standard RT often causes collateral damage to nearby healthy tissues. To increase therapeutic ratio, radiosensitization via gold nanoparticles (GNPs) has been shown to be effective. One challenge is that megavoltage beams generated by clinical linear accelerators are poor initiators of the photoelectric effect. Previous computer models predicted that a diamond target beam (DTB) will yield 400% more low-energy photons, increasing the probability of interacting with GNPs to enhance the radiation dose by 7.7-fold in the GNP vicinity. After testing DTB radiation coupled with GNPs in multiple cell types, we demonstrate decreased head-and-neck cancer (HNC) cell viability in vitro and enhanced cell-killing in zebrafish xenografts compared to standard RT. HNC cell lines also displayed increased double-stranded DNA breaks with DTB irradiation in the presence of GNPs. This study presents preclinical responses to GNP-enhanced radiotherapy with the novel DTB, providing the first functional data to support the theoretical evidence for radiosensitization via GNPs in this context, and highlighting the potential of this approach to optimize the efficacy of RT in anatomically difficult-to-treat tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Piccolo
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre/Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - John D Lincoln
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Nicole Melong
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute/Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Benno C Orr
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre/Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Nicholas R Fernandez
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre/Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jennifer Borsavage
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jason N Berman
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre/Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute/Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - James Robar
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Michael N Ha
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
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15
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Ying X, Liu B, Yuan Z, Huang Y, Chen C, Jiang X, Zhang H, Qi D, Yang S, Lin S, Luo J, Ji W. METTL1-m 7 G-EGFR/EFEMP1 axis promotes the bladder cancer development. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11:e675. [PMID: 34936728 PMCID: PMC8694502 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The posttranscriptional modifications of transfer RNA (tRNA) are critical for all aspects of the tRNA function and have been implicated in the tumourigenesis and progression of many human cancers. By contrast, the biological functions of methyltransferase-like 1 (METTL1)-regulated m7 G tRNA modification in bladder cancer (BC) remain obscure. RESULTS In this research, we show that METTL1 was highly expressed in BC, and its level was correlated with poor patient prognosis. Silencing METTL1 suppresses the proliferation, migration and invasion of BC cells in vitro and in vivo. Multi-omics analysis reveals that METTL1-mediated m7 G tRNA modification altered expression of certain target genes, including EGFR/EFEMP1. Mechanistically, METTL1 regulates the translation of EGFR/EFEMP1 via modifying certain tRNAs. Furthermore, forced expression of EGFR/EFEMP1 partially rescues the effect of METTL1 deletion on BC cells. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate the oncogenic role of METTL1 and the pathological significance of the METTL1-m7 G-EGFR/EFEMP1 axis in the BC development, thus providing potential therapeutic targets for the BC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Ying
- Center for Translational MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
- Department of UrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Bixia Liu
- Center for Translational MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Zusen Yuan
- Department of UrologyMinimally Invasive Surgery centerGuangdong Key Laboratory of UrologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou510230China
| | - Yapeng Huang
- Center for Translational MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
- Department of UrologyMinimally Invasive Surgery centerGuangdong Key Laboratory of UrologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou510230China
| | - Cong Chen
- Center for Translational MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Xu Jiang
- Center for Translational MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Haiqing Zhang
- Center for Translational MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Defeng Qi
- Department of UrologyMinimally Invasive Surgery centerGuangdong Key Laboratory of UrologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou510230China
| | - Shulan Yang
- Center for Translational MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Shuibin Lin
- Center for Translational MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Junhang Luo
- Department of UrologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
| | - Weidong Ji
- Center for Translational MedicineThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510080China
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16
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Letrado P, Mole H, Montoya M, Palacios I, Barriuso J, Hurlstone A, Díez-Martínez R, Oyarzabal J. Systematic Roadmap for Cancer Drug Screening Using Zebrafish Embryo Xenograft Cancer Models: Melanoma Cell Line as a Case Study. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13153705. [PMID: 34359605 PMCID: PMC8345186 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Currently, there is no consensus in the scientific literature regarding the zebrafish embryo xenotransplantation procedure for drug screening. Thus, this study sets systematic guidelines for maximizing the reproducibility of drug screening in zebrafish-embryo cancer xenograft models based on evaluating every step of the procedure in a real case scenario in which the chemical properties of the compounds are unknown or not optimal. It aims to be a stepping stone to bring the versatility of zebrafish embryos to drug screening for cancer. The present work helps our group to pursue the objective of establishing zebrafish embryos as a valuable alternative to mice models; and hopefully, will help other groups in this field to progress in the same direction. Abstract Zebrafish embryo tumor transplant models are widely utilized in cancer research. Compared with traditional murine models, the small size and transparency of zebrafish embryos combined with large clutch sizes that increase statistical power and cheap husbandry make them a cost-effective and versatile tool for in vivo drug discovery. However, the lack of a comprehensive analysis of key factors impacting the successful use of these models impedes the establishment of basic guidelines for systematic screening campaigns. Thus, we explored the following crucial factors: (i) user-independent inclusion criteria, focusing on sample homogeneity; (ii) metric definition for data analysis; (iii) tumor engraftment criteria; (iv) image analysis versus quantification of human cancer cells using qPCR (RNA and gDNA); (v) tumor implantation sites; (vi) compound distribution (intratumoral administration versus alternative inoculation sites); and (vii) efficacy (intratumoral microinjection versus compound solution in media). Based on these analyses and corresponding assessments, we propose the first roadmap for systematic drug discovery screening in zebrafish xenograft cancer models using a melanoma cell line as a case study. This study aims to help the wider cancer research community to consider the adoption of this versatile model for cancer drug screening projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Letrado
- Ikan Biotech SL, Centro Europeo de Empresas e Innovación de Navarra (CEIN), 31110 Noain, Spain;
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Correspondence: (P.L.); (J.O.)
| | - Holly Mole
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; (H.M.); (J.B.)
| | - María Montoya
- Cellomics Unit, Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (I.P.)
| | - Irene Palacios
- Cellomics Unit, Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (I.P.)
| | - Jorge Barriuso
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; (H.M.); (J.B.)
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M20 4BX, UK
| | - Adam Hurlstone
- Division of Infection, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Science, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK;
| | - Roberto Díez-Martínez
- Ikan Biotech SL, Centro Europeo de Empresas e Innovación de Navarra (CEIN), 31110 Noain, Spain;
| | - Julen Oyarzabal
- Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Correspondence: (P.L.); (J.O.)
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17
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Al-Thani HF, Shurbaji S, Yalcin HC. Zebrafish as a Model for Anticancer Nanomedicine Studies. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:625. [PMID: 34203407 PMCID: PMC8308643 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanomedicine is a new approach to fight against cancer by the development of anticancer nanoparticles (NPs) that are of high sensitivity, specificity, and targeting ability to detect cancer cells, such as the ability of Silica NPs in targeting epithelial cancer cells. However, these anticancer NPs require preclinical testing, and zebrafish is a useful animal model for preclinical studies of anticancer NPs. This model affords a large sample size, optical imaging, and easy genetic manipulation that aid in nanomedicine studies. This review summarizes the numerous advantages of the zebrafish animal model for such investigation, various techniques for inducing cancer in zebrafish, and discusses the methods to assess cancer development in the model and to test for the toxicity of the anticancer drugs and NPs. In addition, it summarizes the recent studies that used zebrafish as a model to test the efficacy of several different anticancer NPs in treating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hissa F Al-Thani
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Samar Shurbaji
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Huseyin C Yalcin
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
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18
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Lipsitt A, Hensch NR, Moreno-Campos R, Baxi K, Chen J, Challa AK, Chen EY, Ignatius MS. Zebrafish Tumor Graft Transplantation to Grow Tumors In Vivo That Engraft Poorly as Single Cell Suspensions. Zebrafish 2021; 18:293-296. [PMID: 34030492 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2021.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiosarcoma is a clinically aggressive tumor with a high rate of mortality. It can arise in vascular or lymphatic tissues, involve any part of the body, and aggressively spread locally or metastasize. Angiosarcomas spontaneously develop in the tp53 deleted (tp53del/del) zebrafish mutant. However, established protocols for tumor dissection and transplantation of single cell suspensions of angiosarcoma tumors result in inferior implantation rates. To resolve these complications, we developed a new tumor grafting technique for engraftment of angiosarcoma and similar tumors in zebrafish, which maintains the tumor microenvironment and has superior rates of engraftment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Lipsitt
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology Oncology, UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Nicole R Hensch
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Rodrigo Moreno-Campos
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Kunal Baxi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Jiangfei Chen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Institute of Environmental Safety and Human Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Anil K Challa
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Eleanor Y Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Myron S Ignatius
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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19
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Yuan M, White D, Resar L, Bar E, Groves M, Cohen A, Jackson E, Bynum J, Rubens J, Mumm J, Chen L, Jiang L, Raabe E, Rodriguez FJ, Eberhart CG. Conditional reprogramming culture conditions facilitate growth of lower-grade glioma models. Neuro Oncol 2021; 23:770-782. [PMID: 33258947 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noaa263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The conditional reprogramming cell culture method was developed to facilitate growth of senescence-prone normal and neoplastic epithelial cells, and involves co-culture with irradiated fibroblasts and the addition of a small molecule Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor. The aim of this study was to determine whether this approach would facilitate the culture of compact low-grade gliomas. METHODS We attempted to culture 4 pilocytic astrocytomas, 2 gangliogliomas, 2 myxopapillary ependymomas, 2 anaplastic gliomas, 2 difficult-to-classify low-grade neuroepithelial tumors, a desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma, and an anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma using a modified conditional reprogramming cell culture approach. RESULTS Conditional reprogramming resulted in robust increases in growth for a majority of these tumors, with fibroblast conditioned media and ROCK inhibition both required. Switching cultures to standard serum containing media, or serum-free neurosphere conditions, with or without ROCK inhibition, resulted in decreased proliferation and induction of senescence markers. Rho kinase inhibition and conditioned media both promoted Akt and Erk1/2 activation. Several cultures, including one derived from a NF1-associated pilocytic astrocytoma (JHH-NF1-PA1) and one from a BRAF p.V600E mutant anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (JHH-PXA1), exhibited growth sufficient for preclinical testing in vitro. In addition, JHH-NF1-PA1 cells survived and migrated in larval zebrafish orthotopic xenografts, while JHH-PXA1 formed orthotopic xenografts in mice histopathologically similar to the tumor from which it was derived. CONCLUSIONS These studies highlight the potential for the conditional reprogramming cell culture method to promote the growth of glial and glioneuronal tumors in vitro, in some cases enabling the establishment of long-term culture and in vivo models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yuan
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David White
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Linda Resar
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Eli Bar
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mari Groves
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alan Cohen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Eric Jackson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer Bynum
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffrey Rubens
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeff Mumm
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Liam Chen
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Liqun Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Eric Raabe
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Fausto J Rodriguez
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Charles G Eberhart
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Körholz K, Ridinger J, Krunic D, Najafi S, Gerloff XF, Frese K, Meder B, Peterziel H, Vega-Rubin-de-Celis S, Witt O, Oehme I. Broad-Spectrum HDAC Inhibitors Promote Autophagy through FOXO Transcription Factors in Neuroblastoma. Cells 2021; 10:cells10051001. [PMID: 33923163 PMCID: PMC8144997 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Depending on context and tumor stage, deregulation of autophagy can either suppress tumorigenesis or promote chemoresistance and tumor survival. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) can modulate autophagy; however, the exact mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we analyze the effects of the broad-spectrum HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) panobinostat and vorinostat on the transcriptional regulation of autophagy with respect to autophagy transcription factor activity (Transcription factor EB-TFEB, forkhead boxO-FOXO) and autophagic flux in neuroblastoma cells. In combination with the late-stage autophagic flux inhibitor bafilomycin A1, HDACis increase the number of autophagic vesicles, indicating an increase in autophagic flux. Both HDACi induce nuclear translocation of the transcription factors FOXO1 and FOXO3a, but not TFEB and promote the expression of pro-autophagic FOXO1/3a target genes. Moreover, FOXO1/3a knockdown experiments impaired HDACi treatment mediated expression of autophagy related genes. Combination of panobinostat with the lysosomal inhibitor chloroquine, which blocks autophagic flux, enhances neuroblastoma cell death in culture and hampers tumor growth in vivo in a neuroblastoma zebrafish xenograft model. In conclusion, our results indicate that pan-HDACi treatment induces autophagy in neuroblastoma at a transcriptional level. Combining HDACis with autophagy modulating drugs suppresses tumor growth of high-risk neuroblastoma cells. These experimental data provide novel insights for optimization of treatment strategies in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Körholz
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.K.); (J.R.); (S.N.); (X.F.G.); (H.P.); (O.W.)
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), INF 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Johannes Ridinger
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.K.); (J.R.); (S.N.); (X.F.G.); (H.P.); (O.W.)
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), INF 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Damir Krunic
- Light Microscopy Facility (LMF), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Sara Najafi
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.K.); (J.R.); (S.N.); (X.F.G.); (H.P.); (O.W.)
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), INF 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Xenia F. Gerloff
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.K.); (J.R.); (S.N.); (X.F.G.); (H.P.); (O.W.)
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), INF 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karen Frese
- Institute for Cardiomyopathies Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.F.); (B.M.)
| | - Benjamin Meder
- Institute for Cardiomyopathies Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.F.); (B.M.)
- Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Heike Peterziel
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.K.); (J.R.); (S.N.); (X.F.G.); (H.P.); (O.W.)
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), INF 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Olaf Witt
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.K.); (J.R.); (S.N.); (X.F.G.); (H.P.); (O.W.)
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), INF 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ina Oehme
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.K.); (J.R.); (S.N.); (X.F.G.); (H.P.); (O.W.)
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), INF 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Corsinovi D, Usai A, Sarlo MD, Giannaccini M, Ori M. Zebrafish Avatar to Develop Precision Breast Cancer Therapies. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2021; 22:748-759. [PMID: 33797388 DOI: 10.2174/1871520621666210402111634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a vertebrate that has become a popular alternative model for the cellular and molecular study of human tumors and for drug testing and validating approaches. Notably, zebrafish embryos, thanks to their accessibility, allow rapid collection of in vivo results prodromal to validation in the murine models in respect to the 3R principles. The generation of tumor xenograft in zebrafish embryos and larvae, or zebrafish avatar, represents a unique opportunity to study tumor growth, angiogenesis, cell invasion and metastatic dissemination, interaction between tumor and host in vivo avoiding immunogenic rejection, representing a promising platform for the translational research and personalized therapies. OBJECTIVE In this mini-review we report recent advances in breast cancer research and drug testing that took advantage of the zebrafish xenograft model using both breast cancer cell lines and patient's biopsy. CONCLUSION Patient derived xenograft, together with the gene editing, the omics biotechnology, the in vivo time lapse imaging and the high-throughput screening that are already set up and largely used in zebrafish, could represent a step forward towards precision and personalized medicine in the breast cancer research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora Corsinovi
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
| | - Alice Usai
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
| | | | | | - Michela Ori
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
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22
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Vandetanib versus Cabozantinib in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Focus on Anti-Angiogenic Effects in Zebrafish Model. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063031. [PMID: 33809722 PMCID: PMC8002338 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a tumor deriving from the thyroid C cells. Vandetanib (VAN) and cabozantinib (CAB) are two tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting REarranged during Transfection (RET) and other kinase receptors and are approved for the treatment of advanced MTC. We aim to compare the in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity of VAN and CAB in MTC. The effects of VAN and CAB on viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis of TT and MZ-CRC-1 cells are evaluated in vitro using an MTT assay, DNA flow cytometry with propidium iodide, and Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining, respectively. In vivo, the anti-angiogenic potential of VAN and CAB is evaluated in Tg(fli1a:EGFP)y1 transgenic fluorescent zebrafish embryos by analyzing the effects on the physiological development of the sub-intestinal vein plexus and the tumor-induced angiogenesis after TT and MZ-CRC-1 xenotransplantation. VAN and CAB exert comparable effects on TT and MZ-CRC-1 viability inhibition and cell cycle perturbation, and stimulated apoptosis with a prominent effect by VAN in MZ-CRC-1 and CAB in TT cells. Regarding zebrafish, both drugs inhibit angiogenesis in a dose-dependent manner, in particular CAB shows a more potent anti-angiogenic activity than VAN. To conclude, although VAN and CAB show comparable antiproliferative effects in MTC, the anti-angiogenic activity of CAB appears to be more relevant.
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23
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Green S, Dam MS, Svendsen MN. Mouse avatars of human cancers: the temporality of translation in precision oncology. HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE LIFE SCIENCES 2021; 43:27. [PMID: 33620596 DOI: 10.1007/s40656-021-00383-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) are currently promoted as new translational models in precision oncology. PDXs are immunodeficient mice with human tumors that are used as surrogate models to represent specific types of cancer. By accounting for the genetic heterogeneity of cancer tumors, PDXs are hoped to provide more clinically relevant results in preclinical research. Further, in the function of so-called "mouse avatars", PDXs are hoped to allow for patient-specific drug testing in real-time (in parallel to treatment of the corresponding cancer patient). This paper examines the circulation of knowledge and bodily material across the species boundary of human and personalized mouse model, historically as well as in contemporary practices. PDXs raise interesting questions about the relation between animal model and human patient, and about the capacity of hybrid or interspecies models to close existing translational gaps. We highlight that the translational potential of PDXs not only depends on representational matching of model and target, but also on temporal alignment between model development and practical uses. Aside from the importance of ensuring temporal stability of human tumors in a murine body, the mouse avatar concept rests on the possibility of aligning the temporal horizons of the clinic and the lab. We examine strategies to address temporal challenges, including cryopreservation and biobanking, as well as attempts to speed up translation through modification and use of faster developing organisms. We discuss how featured model virtues change with precision oncology, and contend that temporality is a model feature that deserves more philosophical attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Green
- Section for History and Philosophy of Science, Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen, Niels Bohr Building (NBB), Universitetsparken 5, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
- Department of Public Health, Centre for Medical Science and Technology Studies, University of Copenhagen, Oester Farimagsgade 5, opg. B, Postboks 2099, 1014, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Mie S Dam
- Department of Public Health, Centre for Medical Science and Technology Studies, University of Copenhagen, Oester Farimagsgade 5, opg. B, Postboks 2099, 1014, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mette N Svendsen
- Department of Public Health, Centre for Medical Science and Technology Studies, University of Copenhagen, Oester Farimagsgade 5, opg. B, Postboks 2099, 1014, Copenhagen, Denmark
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24
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Chen X, Li Y, Yao T, Jia R. Benefits of Zebrafish Xenograft Models in Cancer Research. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:616551. [PMID: 33644052 PMCID: PMC7905065 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.616551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
As a promising in vivo tool for cancer research, zebrafish have been widely applied in various tumor studies. The zebrafish xenograft model is a low-cost, high-throughput tool for cancer research that can be established quickly and requires only a small sample size, which makes it favorite among researchers. Zebrafish patient-derived xenograft (zPDX) models provide promising evidence for short-term clinical treatment. In this review, we discuss the characteristics and advantages of zebrafish, such as their transparent and translucent features, the use of vascular fluorescence imaging, the establishment of metastatic and intracranial orthotopic models, individual pharmacokinetics measurements, and tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, we introduce how these characteristics and advantages are applied other in tumor studies. Finally, we discuss the future direction of the use of zebrafish in tumor studies and provide new ideas for the application of it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongyun Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Tengteng Yao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Renbing Jia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
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Rapid In Vivo Validation of HDAC Inhibitor-Based Treatments in Neuroblastoma Zebrafish Xenografts. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:ph13110345. [PMID: 33121173 PMCID: PMC7692187 DOI: 10.3390/ph13110345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The survival rate among children with relapsed neuroblastomas continues to be poor, and thus new therapeutic approaches identified by reliable preclinical drug testing models are urgently needed. Zebrafish are a powerful vertebrate model in preclinical cancer research. Here, we describe a zebrafish neuroblastoma yolk sac model to evaluate efficacy and toxicity of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor treatments. Larvae were engrafted with fluorescently labeled, genetically diverse, established cell lines and short-term cultures of patient-derived primary cells. Engrafted tumors progressed locally and disseminated remotely in an intact environment. Combination treatments involving the standard chemotherapy doxorubicin and HDAC inhibitors substantially reduced tumor volume, induced tumor cell death, and inhibited tumor cell dissemination to the tail region. Hence, this model allows for fast, cost-efficient, and reliable in vivo evaluation of toxicity and response of the primary and metastatic tumor sites to drug combinations.
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26
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Cellular and Molecular Progression of Prostate Cancer: Models for Basic and Preclinical Research. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092651. [PMID: 32957478 PMCID: PMC7563251 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The molecular progression of prostate cancer is complex and elusive. Biological research relies heavily on in vitro and in vivo models that can be used to examine gene functions and responses to the external agents in laboratory and preclinical settings. Over the years, several models have been developed and found to be very helpful in understanding the biology of prostate cancer. Here we describe these models in the context of available information on the cellular and molecular progression of prostate cancer to suggest their potential utility in basic and preclinical prostate cancer research. The information discussed herein should serve as a hands-on resource for scholars engaged in prostate cancer research or to those who are making a transition to explore the complex biology of prostate cancer. Abstract We have witnessed noteworthy progress in our understanding of prostate cancer over the past decades. This basic knowledge has been translated into efficient diagnostic and treatment approaches leading to the improvement in patient survival. However, the molecular pathogenesis of prostate cancer appears to be complex, and histological findings often do not provide an accurate assessment of disease aggressiveness and future course. Moreover, we also witness tremendous racial disparity in prostate cancer incidence and clinical outcomes necessitating a deeper understanding of molecular and mechanistic bases of prostate cancer. Biological research heavily relies on model systems that can be easily manipulated and tested under a controlled experimental environment. Over the years, several cancer cell lines have been developed representing diverse molecular subtypes of prostate cancer. In addition, several animal models have been developed to demonstrate the etiological molecular basis of the prostate cancer. In recent years, patient-derived xenograft and 3-D culture models have also been created and utilized in preclinical research. This review is an attempt to succinctly discuss existing information on the cellular and molecular progression of prostate cancer. We also discuss available model systems and their tested and potential utility in basic and preclinical prostate cancer research.
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Cabezas-Sáinz P, Pensado-López A, Sáinz B, Sánchez L. Modeling Cancer Using Zebrafish Xenografts: Drawbacks for Mimicking the Human Microenvironment. Cells 2020; 9:E1978. [PMID: 32867288 PMCID: PMC7564051 DOI: 10.3390/cells9091978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The first steps towards establishing xenografts in zebrafish embryos were performed by Lee et al., 2005 and Haldi et al., 2006, paving the way for studying human cancers using this animal species. Since then, the xenograft technique has been improved in different ways, ranging from optimizing the best temperature for xenografted embryo incubation, testing different sites for injection of human tumor cells, and even developing tools to study how the host interacts with the injected cells. Nonetheless, a standard protocol for performing xenografts has not been adopted across laboratories, and further research on the temperature, microenvironment of the tumor or the cell-host interactions inside of the embryo during xenografting is still needed. As a consequence, current non-uniform conditions could be affecting experimental results in terms of cell proliferation, invasion, or metastasis; or even overestimating the effects of some chemotherapeutic drugs on xenografted cells. In this review, we highlight and raise awareness regarding the different aspects of xenografting that need to be improved in order to mimic, in a more efficient way, the human tumor microenvironment, resulting in more robust and accurate in vivo results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Cabezas-Sáinz
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (P.C.-S.); (A.P.-L.)
| | - Alba Pensado-López
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (P.C.-S.); (A.P.-L.)
- Genomic Medicine Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Bruno Sáinz
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” CSIC-UAM, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Cancer Stem Cell and Fibroinflammatory Microenvironment Group, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (P.C.-S.); (A.P.-L.)
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Shen W, Pu J, Sun J, Tan B, Wang W, Wang L, Cheng J, Zuo Y. Zebrafish xenograft model of human lung cancer for studying the function of LINC00152 in cell proliferation and invasion. Cancer Cell Int 2020; 20:376. [PMID: 32774169 PMCID: PMC7409423 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-020-01460-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Numerous studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs play important roles in human cancer progression. Although zebrafish xenografts have recently become a novel in vivo model for human cancer research, whether such models can be used to study the function of long noncoding RNAs remains unknown. Methods In vitro studies validated the roles of LINC00152 in the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cells. In vivo studies of zebrafish xenografts also confirmed these roles of LINC00152. In vivo confocal imaging was used to more accurately evaluate the function of LINC00152 in cell proliferation and migration. Pharmacological experiments were further performed to study the potential ability of LINC00152 downregulation combined with an EGFR inhibitor to treat tumors in cultured cells and the zebrafish xenograft model. Results Silencing of LINC00152 suppressed cell proliferation and invasion in SPCA1 and A549 lung cancer cell lines in vitro. In the zebrafish xenograft model, knockdown of LINC00152 reduced the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells, as indicated by the two imaging methods at different magnifications. Moreover, the knockdown of LINC00152 enhanced the inhibition effect of afatinib for lung cancer progression in cultured cells and the zebrafish xenograft model. Conclusion Our study reveals the oncogenic roles and potential for LINC00152 to be a target for tumor treatment in lung cancer using zebrafish xenograft models, and the findings suggest that this model could be used for functional and application studies of human long noncoding RNAs in tumor biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyi Shen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Lianshui County People's Hospital, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, 223400 China
| | - Juan Pu
- Department of Radiotherapy, Lianshui County People's Hospital, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, 223400 China
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Lianshui County People's Hospital, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, 223400 China
| | - Bing Tan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Lianshui County People's Hospital, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, 223400 China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Lianshui County People's Hospital, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, 223400 China
| | - Lili Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Lianshui County People's Hospital, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, 223400 China
| | - Jianmeng Cheng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Lianshui County People's Hospital, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, 223400 China
| | - Yangsong Zuo
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Lianshui County People's Hospital, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, 223400 China
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Di Franco G, Usai A, Funel N, Palmeri M, Montesanti IER, Bianchini M, Gianardi D, Furbetta N, Guadagni S, Vasile E, Falcone A, Pollina LE, Raffa V, Morelli L. Use of zebrafish embryos as avatar of patients with pancreatic cancer: A new xenotransplantation model towards personalized medicine. World J Gastroenterol 2020; 26:2792-2809. [PMID: 32550755 PMCID: PMC7284182 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i21.2792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The response to chemotherapy treatment of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is difficult to predict and the identification of patients who most likely will benefit from aggressive chemotherapy approaches is crucial. The concept of personalized medicine has emerged in the last years with the objective to tailor the medical treatment to the individual characteristics of each patient, and particularly to the tumor biology of each patient. The need for in-vivo xenotransplantation models for cancer patients has increased exponentially, and for this reason zebrafish avatars have gained popularity. Preliminary studies were conducted also with PDAC tissue.
AIM To develop a simple, not expensive, diffusible zebrafish embryo model as avatar for patients affected by PDAC.
METHODS Tumor tissue was taken from the surgical specimen by the histopathologist. After its fragmentation into small pieces, they are stained with CM-Dil. Small pieces of stained tissue were transplanted into the yolk of wt AB zebrafish embryos with a glass capillary needle. Embryos were incubated at 35 °C in E3 medium supplemented with 1% Pen/Strep in the presence or absence of drugs for the following days in respect of the treatment plan (Gemcitabine; Gemcitabine and Oxaliplatin; Gemcitabine and nab-Paclitaxel; 5-Fluorouracil and Folinic acid and Oxaliplatin and Irinotecan). The response of zebrafish xenografts to the chemotherapy options has been analyzed by monitoring the fluorescent stained area at 2 h post injection (hpi), 1 d and 2 d post injection (dpi). In each time point, the mean size of the stained area was measured by ImageJ and it was normalized with respect to the 1 dpi time point mean relative tumor area (RTA). We evaluated the effect of the chemotherapy exposition comparing the mean RTA of each treated subgroup and the control group and evaluating the percentage reduction of the mean RTA by comparing each treated subgroup with the control group.
RESULTS Between July 2018 and October 2019, a total of 15 patients with pancreatic cancer were prospectively enrolled. In all cases, it was possible to take a fragment of the tumor from the surgical specimen for the xenotransplantation in the zebrafish embryos. The histological examination confirmed the presence of a PDAC in all cases. In absence of chemotherapy (control group), over time the Dil-stained area showed a statistically significant increase in all cases. A statistically significant reduction of the mean RTA in the treated subgroups for at least one chemotherapy scheme was reported in 6/15 (40%) cases. The analysis of the percentage reduction of the RTA in treated subgroups in comparison to the control group revealed the presence of a linear relationship in each subgroup between the percentage reduction of the RTA and the number of cases reporting each percentage threshold considered for the analysis.
CONCLUSION Our model seems to be effective for the xenotransplantation of PDAC tissue and evaluation of the effect of each chemotherapy scheme on the xenotransplanted tumor tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregorio Di Franco
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Alice Usai
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa 56127, Italy
| | - Niccola Funel
- Division of Surgical Pathology, Department of Laboratory of Medicine, Hospital-University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Matteo Palmeri
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Bianchini
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Desirée Gianardi
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Niccolò Furbetta
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Simone Guadagni
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Enrico Vasile
- Division of Medical Oncology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Alfredo Falcone
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Luca Emanuele Pollina
- Division of Surgical Pathology, Department of Laboratory of Medicine, Hospital-University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Vittoria Raffa
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa 56127, Italy
| | - Luca Morelli
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
- EndoCAS (Center for Computer Assisted Surgery), University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
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30
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Kent M, Sanders J, Spagnoli S, Al-Samarrie C, Murray K. Review of diseases and health management in zebrafish Danio rerio (Hamilton 1822) in research facilities. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2020; 43:637-650. [PMID: 32291793 PMCID: PMC7253333 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in biomedical research has expanded at a tremendous rate over the last two decades. Along with increases in laboratories using this model, we are discovering new and important diseases. We review here the important pathogens and diseases based on some 20 years of research and findings from our diagnostic service at the NIH-funded Zebrafish International Resource Center. Descriptions of the present status of biosecurity programmes and diagnostic and treatment approaches are included. The most common and important diseases and pathogens are two parasites, Pseudoloma neurophilia and Pseudocapillaria tomentosa, and mycobacteriosis caused by Mycobacterium chelonae, M. marinum and M. haemophilum. Less common but deadly diseases are caused by Edwardsiella ictaluri and infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV). Hepatic megalocytosis and egg-associated inflammation and fibroplasia are common, apparently non-infectious, in zebrafish laboratories. Water quality diseases include supersaturation and nephrocalcinosis. Common neoplasms are spindle cell sarcomas, ultimobranchial tumours, spermatocytic seminomas and a small-cell carcinoma that is caused by a transmissible agent. Despite the clear biosecurity risk, researchers continue to use fish from pet stores, and here, we document two novel coccidia associated with significant lesions in zebrafish from one of these stores.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.L Kent
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
| | - J.L. Sanders
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
| | - S. Spagnoli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
| | - C.E. Al-Samarrie
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
| | - K.N. Murray
- Zebrafish International Resource Center, Eugene, Oregon 97403
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Kent ML, Sanders JL, Spagnoli S, Al-Samarrie CE, Murray KN. Review of diseases and health management in zebrafish Danio rerio (Hamilton 1822) in research facilities. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2020; 43:637-650. [PMID: 32291793 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13165j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in biomedical research has expanded at a tremendous rate over the last two decades. Along with increases in laboratories using this model, we are discovering new and important diseases. We review here the important pathogens and diseases based on some 20 years of research and findings from our diagnostic service at the NIH-funded Zebrafish International Resource Center. Descriptions of the present status of biosecurity programmes and diagnostic and treatment approaches are included. The most common and important diseases and pathogens are two parasites, Pseudoloma neurophilia and Pseudocapillaria tomentosa, and mycobacteriosis caused by Mycobacterium chelonae, M. marinum and M. haemophilum. Less common but deadly diseases are caused by Edwardsiella ictaluri and infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV). Hepatic megalocytosis and egg-associated inflammation and fibroplasia are common, apparently non-infectious, in zebrafish laboratories. Water quality diseases include supersaturation and nephrocalcinosis. Common neoplasms are spindle cell sarcomas, ultimobranchial tumours, spermatocytic seminomas and a small-cell carcinoma that is caused by a transmissible agent. Despite the clear biosecurity risk, researchers continue to use fish from pet stores, and here, we document two novel coccidia associated with significant lesions in zebrafish from one of these stores.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Kent
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - J L Sanders
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - S Spagnoli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - C E Al-Samarrie
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - K N Murray
- Zebrafish International Resource Center, Eugene, Oregon
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Wen J, Yin P, Li L, Kang G, Ning G, Cao Y, Gao F, Su Y, Wu Y, Zhang X. Knockdown of Matrix Metallopeptidase 9 Inhibits Metastasis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells in a Zebrafish Xenograft Model. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:4350783. [PMID: 32382550 PMCID: PMC7183015 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4350783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Destruction of extracellular matrix (ECM) is one of the basic steps of tumor invasion and metastasis. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9, a kind of zinc-ion-dependent endopeptidase, can degrade almost all protein components in the ECM, destroy the histological barrier of tumor cell invasion, and play a key role in tumor invasion and metastasis. The role of MMP-9 in tumor invasion and metastasis has attracted increasing attention and is considered the main proteolytic enzyme in this process. Although the overexpression of MMP-9 was detected in Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissues, further basic studies in vivo and in vitro are needed to investigate the role of MMP-9 in OSCCs and provide scientific validation. In this research, we developed a novel OSCC zebrafish xenograft model to study the role of the MMP-9 gene in oral carcinogenesis. Firstly, the MMP-9/shRNA lentiviral clone and control virus were constructed and transfected into OSCC cells. Then, the decreasing expression of MMP-9 was verified by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay. Colony formation was evaluated by colony formation assay. Cell invasion was evaluated using transwell invasion assay in vitro. In addition, OSCC cells with MMP-9/shRNA knockdown and control vector were injected into zebrafish and an OSCC tumor model in zebrafish was established to evaluate invasion and metastasis in vivo. Knockdown of MMP-9 gene by shRNA could inhibit OSCC cell growth and clone formation and markedly suppress cell invasion in vitro. And the knockdown of the MMP-9 gene could also significantly decrease the metastatic distance and number of metastatic tumor cells or lesions in vivo and suppress the metastasis rate in xenografted zebrafish. Taken together, these evidences indicated that the knockdown of MMP-9 might suppress OSCC cell invasion and metastasis in vivo and in vitro. The MMP-9 gene may be a promising therapeutic target for OSCCs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlin Wen
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Panpan Yin
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Linwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guihua Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guozhu Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Su
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanlin Wu
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyan Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Dental Research, Beijing Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Varas MA, Muñoz-Montecinos C, Kallens V, Simon V, Allende ML, Marcoleta AE, Lagos R. Exploiting Zebrafish Xenografts for Testing the in vivo Antitumorigenic Activity of Microcin E492 Against Human Colorectal Cancer Cells. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:405. [PMID: 32265865 PMCID: PMC7096547 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the approaches to address cancer treatment is to develop new drugs not only to obtain compounds with less side effects, but also to have a broader set of alternatives to tackle the resistant forms of this pathology. In this regard, growing evidence supports the use of bacteria-derived peptides such as bacteriocins, which have emerged as promising anti-cancer molecules. In addition to test the activity of these molecules on cancer cells in culture, their in vivo antitumorigenic properties must be validated in animal models. Although the standard approach for such assays employs experiments in nude mice, at the initial stages of testing, the use of high-throughput animal models would permit rapid proof-of-concept experiments, screening a high number of compounds, and thus increasing the possibilities of finding new anti-cancer molecules. A validated and promising alternative animal model are zebrafish larvae harboring xenografts of human cancer cells. Here, we addressed the anti-cancer properties of the antibacterial peptide microcin E492 (MccE492), a bacteriocin produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae, showing that this peptide has a marked cytotoxic effect on human colorectal cancer cells in vitro. Furthermore, we developed a zebrafish xenograft model using these cells to test the antitumor effect of MccE492 in vivo, demonstrating that intratumor injection of this peptide significantly reduced the tumor cell mass. Our results provide, for the first time, evidence of the in vivo antitumoral properties of a bacteriocin tested in an animal model. This evidence strongly supports the potential of this bacteriocin for the development of novel anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macarena A Varas
- Laboratorio de Biología Estructural y Molecular BEM, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Muñoz-Montecinos
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Violeta Kallens
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valeska Simon
- Laboratorio de Inmunología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel L Allende
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrés E Marcoleta
- Laboratorio de Biología Estructural y Molecular BEM, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rosalba Lagos
- Laboratorio de Biología Estructural y Molecular BEM, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Ye S, Liu Y, Fuller AM, Katti R, Ciotti GE, Chor S, Alam MZ, Devalaraja S, Lorent K, Weber K, Haldar M, Pack MA, Eisinger-Mathason TSK. TGFβ and Hippo Pathways Cooperate to Enhance Sarcomagenesis and Metastasis through the Hyaluronan-Mediated Motility Receptor (HMMR). Mol Cancer Res 2020; 18:560-573. [PMID: 31988250 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-19-0877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
High-grade sarcomas are metastatic and pose a serious threat to patient survival. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is a particularly dangerous and relatively common sarcoma subtype diagnosed in adults. UPS contains large quantities of extracellular matrix (ECM) including hyaluronic acid (HA), which is linked to metastatic potential. Consistent with these observations, expression of the HA receptor, hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor (HMMR/RHAMM), is tightly controlled in normal tissues and upregulated in UPS. Moreover, HMMR expression correlates with poor clinical outcome in these patients. Deregulation of the tumor-suppressive Hippo pathway is also linked to poor outcome in these patients. YAP1, the transcriptional regulator and central effector of Hippo pathway, is aberrantly stabilized in UPS and was recently shown to control RHAMM expression in breast cancer cells. Interestingly, both YAP1 and RHAMM are linked to TGFβ signaling. Therefore, we investigated crosstalk between YAP1 and TGFβ resulting in enhanced RHAMM-mediated cell migration and invasion. We observed that HMMR expression is under the control of both YAP1 and TGFβ and can be effectively targeted with small-molecule approaches that inhibit these pathways. Furthermore, we found that RHAMM expression promotes tumor cell proliferation and migration/invasion. To test these observations in a robust and quantifiable in vivo system, we developed a zebrafish xenograft assay of metastasis, which is complimentary to our murine studies. Importantly, pharmacologic inhibition of the TGFβ-YAP1-RHAMM axis prevents vascular migration of tumor cells to distant sites. IMPLICATIONS: These studies reveal key metastatic signaling mechanisms and highlight potential approaches to prevent metastatic dissemination in UPS.YAP1 and TGFβ cooperatively enhance proliferation and migration/invasion of UPS and fibrosarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Ye
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ying Liu
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ashley M Fuller
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Rohan Katti
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Gabrielle E Ciotti
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Susan Chor
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Md Zahidul Alam
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Samir Devalaraja
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kristin Lorent
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kristy Weber
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Malay Haldar
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Michael A Pack
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - T S Karin Eisinger-Mathason
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Penn Sarcoma Program, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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ZeOncoTest: Refining and Automating the Zebrafish Xenograft Model for Drug Discovery in Cancer. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2019; 13:ph13010001. [PMID: 31878274 PMCID: PMC7169390 DOI: 10.3390/ph13010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The xenograft of human cancer cells in model animals is a powerful tool for understanding tumor progression and metastatic potential. Mice represent a validated host, but their use is limited by the elevated experimental costs and low throughput. To overcome these restrictions, zebrafish larvae might represent a valuable alternative. Their small size and transparency allow the tracking of transplanted cells. Therefore, tumor growth and early steps of metastasis, which are difficult to evaluate in mice, can be addressed. In spite of its advantages, the use of this model has been hindered by lack of experimental homogeneity and validation. Considering these facts, the aim of our work was to standardize, automate, and validate a zebrafish larvae xenograft assay with increased translatability and higher drug screening throughput. The ZeOncoTest reliability is based on the optimization of different experimental parameters, such as cell labeling, injection site, automated individual sample image acquisition, and analysis. This workflow implementation finally allows a higher precision and experimental throughput increase, when compared to previous reports. The approach was validated with the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, the colorectal cancer cells HCT116, and the prostate cancer cells PC3; and known drugs, respectively RKI-1447, Docetaxel, and Mitoxantrone. The results recapitulate growth and invasion for all tested tumor cells, along with expected efficacy of the compounds. Finally, the methodology has proven useful for understanding specific drugs mode of action. The insights gained bring a step further for zebrafish larvae xenografts to enter the regulated preclinical drug discovery path.
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Pringle ES, Wertman J, Melong N, Coombs AJ, Young AL, O’Leary D, Veinotte C, Robinson CA, Ha MN, Dellaire G, Druley TE, McCormick C, Berman JN. The Zebrafish Xenograft Platform-A Novel Tool for Modeling KSHV-Associated Diseases. Viruses 2019; 12:v12010012. [PMID: 31861850 PMCID: PMC7019925 DOI: 10.3390/v12010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Kaposi’s sarcoma associated-herpesvirus (KSHV, also known as human herpesvirus-8) is a gammaherpesvirus that establishes life-long infection in human B lymphocytes. KSHV infection is typically asymptomatic, but immunosuppression can predispose KSHV-infected individuals to primary effusion lymphoma (PEL); a malignancy driven by aberrant proliferation of latently infected B lymphocytes, and supported by pro-inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors produced by cells that succumb to lytic viral replication. Here, we report the development of the first in vivo model for a virally induced lymphoma in zebrafish, whereby KSHV-infected PEL tumor cells engraft and proliferate in the yolk sac of zebrafish larvae. Using a PEL cell line engineered to produce the viral lytic switch protein RTA in the presence of doxycycline, we demonstrate drug-inducible reactivation from KSHV latency in vivo, which enabled real-time observation and evaluation of latent and lytic phases of KSHV infection. In addition, we developed a sensitive droplet digital PCR method to monitor latent and lytic viral gene expression and host cell gene expression in xenografts. The zebrafish yolk sac is not well vascularized, and by using fluorogenic assays, we confirmed that this site provides a hypoxic environment that may mimic the microenvironment of some human tumors. We found that PEL cell proliferation in xenografts was dependent on the host hypoxia-dependent translation initiation factor, eukaryotic initiation factor 4E2 (eIF4E2). This demonstrates that the zebrafish yolk sac is a functionally hypoxic environment, and xenografted cells must switch to dedicated hypoxic gene expression machinery to survive and proliferate. The establishment of the PEL xenograft model enables future studies that exploit the innate advantages of the zebrafish as a model for genetic and pharmacologic screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S. Pringle
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada;
| | - Jaime Wertman
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
| | - Nicole Melong
- CHEO Research Institute/Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Andrew J. Coombs
- Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, 5980 University Ave, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada;
| | - Andrew L. Young
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA (D.O.)
| | - David O’Leary
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA (D.O.)
| | - Chansey Veinotte
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
| | - Carolyn-Ann Robinson
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
| | - Michael N. Ha
- Department of Radiation Oncology, 5820 University Ave, Halifax, NS B3H 1V7, Canada;
| | - Graham Dellaire
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada;
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Todd E. Druley
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA (D.O.)
| | - Craig McCormick
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada;
- Correspondence: (C.M.); (J.N.B.)
| | - Jason N. Berman
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
- CHEO Research Institute/Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, 5980 University Ave, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada;
- Correspondence: (C.M.); (J.N.B.)
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Sieber S, Grossen P, Bussmann J, Campbell F, Kros A, Witzigmann D, Huwyler J. Zebrafish as a preclinical in vivo screening model for nanomedicines. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2019; 151-152:152-168. [PMID: 30615917 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 12/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The interactions of nanomedicines with biological environments is heavily influenced by their physicochemical properties. Formulation design and optimization are therefore key steps towards successful nanomedicine development. Unfortunately, detailed assessment of nanomedicine formulations, at a macromolecular level, in rodents is severely limited by the restricted imaging possibilities within these animals. Moreover, rodent in vivo studies are time consuming and expensive, limiting the number of formulations that can be practically assessed in any one study. Consequently, screening and optimisation of nanomedicine formulations is most commonly performed in surrogate biological model systems, such as human-derived cell cultures. However, despite the time and cost advantages of classical in vitro models, these artificial systems fail to reflect and mimic the complex biological situation a nanomedicine will encounter in vivo. This has acutely hampered the selection of potentially successful nanomedicines for subsequent rodent in vivo studies. Recently, zebrafish have emerged as a promising in vivo model, within nanomedicine development pipelines, by offering opportunities to quickly screen nanomedicines under in vivo conditions and in a cost-effective manner so as to bridge the current gap between in vitro and rodent studies. In this review, we outline several advantageous features of the zebrafish model, such as biological conservation, imaging modalities, availability of genetic tools and disease models, as well as their various applications in nanomedicine development. Critical experimental parameters are discussed and the most beneficial applications of the zebrafish model, in the context of nanomedicine development, are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Sieber
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philip Grossen
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jeroen Bussmann
- Department of Supramolecular and Biomaterials Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Frederick Campbell
- Department of Supramolecular and Biomaterials Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Kros
- Department of Supramolecular and Biomaterials Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Dominik Witzigmann
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada..
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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38
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Witzigmann D, Uhl P, Sieber S, Kaufman C, Einfalt T, Schöneweis K, Grossen P, Buck J, Ni Y, Schenk SH, Hussner J, Meyer Zu Schwabedissen HE, Québatte G, Mier W, Urban S, Huwyler J. Optimization-by-design of hepatotropic lipid nanoparticles targeting the sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide. eLife 2019; 8:42276. [PMID: 31333191 PMCID: PMC6682401 DOI: 10.7554/elife.42276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Active targeting and specific drug delivery to parenchymal liver cells is a promising strategy to treat various liver disorders. Here, we modified synthetic lipid-based nanoparticles with targeting peptides derived from the hepatitis B virus large envelope protein (HBVpreS) to specifically target the sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP; SLC10A1) on the sinusoidal membrane of hepatocytes. Physicochemical properties of targeted nanoparticles were optimized and NTCP-specific, ligand-dependent binding and internalization was confirmed in vitro. The pharmacokinetics and targeting capacity of selected lead formulations was investigated in vivo using the emerging zebrafish screening model. Liposomal nanoparticles modified with 0.25 mol% of a short myristoylated HBV derived peptide, that is Myr-HBVpreS2-31, showed an optimal balance between systemic circulation, avoidance of blood clearance, and targeting capacity. Pronounced liver enrichment, active NTCP-mediated targeting of hepatocytes and efficient cellular internalization were confirmed in mice by 111In gamma scintigraphy and fluorescence microscopy demonstrating the potential use of our hepatotropic, ligand-modified nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Witzigmann
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Philipp Uhl
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sandro Sieber
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christina Kaufman
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tomaz Einfalt
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Katrin Schöneweis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philip Grossen
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jonas Buck
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Yi Ni
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Susanne H Schenk
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Janine Hussner
- Division of Biopharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Gabriela Québatte
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Walter Mier
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephan Urban
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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39
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Gutiérrez-Lovera C, Martínez-Val J, Cabezas-Sainz P, López R, Rubiolo JA, Sánchez L. In vivo toxicity assays in zebrafish embryos: a pre-requisite for xenograft preclinical studies. Toxicol Mech Methods 2019; 29:478-487. [PMID: 31050327 DOI: 10.1080/15376516.2019.1611980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The human cancer cell xenograft in zebrafish embryos has become a very useful preclinical tool in oncology research. While many anticancer drugs have been assayed with this model, few studies regarding the toxicity limits of these drugs for the host have been addressed. Here, we evaluated the acute toxicity of five approved and routinely used human anticancer drugs embracing different mechanism action types: Carboplatin (CarboPt), Irinotecan (IT), Doxorubicin (DOX), Paclitaxel (PT) and Chloroquine (CQ). They were tested in zebrafish embryos using the Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity (FET) test at 0 and 72 hours per fertilization (hpf). Additionally, we compared those results with in vitro toxicity assays and could find notable differences between both models. Our results indicate that the toxicity data of a compound evaluated in vitro and in a FET test at 0 hpf do not guarantee a reliable toxicity determination for performing xenografts in zebrafish, being necessary additional toxicity studies using 72 hpf embryos, the starting point of drug treatment in this kind of preclinical assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlha Gutiérrez-Lovera
- a Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty , University of Santiago de Compostela , Lugo , Spain
| | - Jeannette Martínez-Val
- a Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty , University of Santiago de Compostela , Lugo , Spain
| | - Pablo Cabezas-Sainz
- a Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty , University of Santiago de Compostela , Lugo , Spain
| | - Rafael López
- b Department of Medical Oncology , Complejo Hospitalario Universitario of Santiago (CHUS) , Santiago de Compostela , Spain
| | - Juan A Rubiolo
- a Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty , University of Santiago de Compostela , Lugo , Spain
| | - Laura Sánchez
- a Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Veterinary Faculty , University of Santiago de Compostela , Lugo , Spain
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40
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Cagan RL, Zon LI, White RM. Modeling Cancer with Flies and Fish. Dev Cell 2019; 49:317-324. [PMID: 31063751 PMCID: PMC6506185 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cancer has joined heart disease as the leading source of mortality in the US. In an era of organoids, patient-derived xenografts, and organs on a chip, model organisms continue to thrive with a combination of powerful genetic tools, rapid pace of discovery, and affordability. Model organisms enable the analysis of both the tumor and its associated microenvironment, aspects that are particularly relevant to our understanding of metastasis and drug resistance. In this Perspective, we explore some of the strengths of fruit flies and zebrafish for addressing fundamental cancer questions and how these two organisms can contribute to identifying promising therapeutic candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross L Cagan
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Leonard I Zon
- Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Richard M White
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
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41
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Developing zebrafish disease models for in vivo small molecule screens. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2019; 50:37-44. [PMID: 30928773 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The zebrafish is a model organism that allows in vivo studies to be performed at a scale usually restricted to in vitro studies. As such, the zebrafish is well suited to in vivo screens, in which thousands of small molecules are tested for their ability to modify disease phenotypes in zebrafish disease models. Numerous approaches have been developed for modeling human diseases in zebrafish, including mutagenesis, transgenesis, pharmacological approaches, wounding, and exposure to infectious or cancerous agents. We review the various strategies for modeling human diseases in zebrafish and discuss important considerations when developing zebrafish models for use in in vivo small molecule screens.
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42
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Charlie-Silva I, Klein A, Gomes JMM, Prado EJR, Moraes AC, Eto SF, Fernandes DC, Fagliari JJ, Junior JDC, Lima C, Lopes-Ferreira M, Conceição K, Manrique WG, Belo MAA. Acute-phase proteins during inflammatory reaction by bacterial infection: Fish-model. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4776. [PMID: 30886242 PMCID: PMC6423045 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41312-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute-phase protein (APPs) serum levels have been studied in many human diseases, and their components contribute to host defense during the evolution of infectious diseases by acting as part of the innate immune system. Based on the importance of establishing new experimental models, the present investigation evaluated the modulation of APPs following inflammatory stimulus by the inoculation of Aeromonas hydrophila in tilapias. Fish were sampled 6 and 24 hours post-infection. Tilapias presented increase of positive APPs such as ceruloplasmin, haptoglobin, alpha-2-macroglobulin and complement C3, as well as decrease of negative APPs such as albumin and transferrin. The protein response of tilapias during the course of bacterial infection showed correlation with the kinetics of cellular accumulation in the inflamed focus with significant increase of granulocytes, thrombocytes, lymphocytes and macrophages. However, granulocytes were the predominant cells, associated with increment in the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Showing responses similar to those observed in humans, the modulation of APPs and the kinetics of cellular accumulation in the exudate demonstrate the feasibility of this alternative experimental model for advances and studies to understand changes in pathophysiological mechanisms of acute inflammatory reaction due to bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ives Charlie-Silva
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Andre Klein
- Department of Pharmacology and Morphology, ICB-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Juliana M M Gomes
- Department of Pharmacology and Morphology, ICB-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ed J R Prado
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Alessandra C Moraes
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Silas F Eto
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Dayanne C Fernandes
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - José J Fagliari
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Carla Lima
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Special Laboratory of Applied Toxicology (CEPID/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mônica Lopes-Ferreira
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Special Laboratory of Applied Toxicology (CEPID/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Katia Conceição
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Peptídeos, UNIFESP, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Wilson G Manrique
- Veterinary College, Federal University of Rondonia, Rolim de Moura, RO, Brazil
| | - Marco A A Belo
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. .,Laboratory of Animal Pharmacology and Toxicology, Brasil University, Descalvado, SP, Brazil.
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43
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Letrado P, de Miguel I, Lamberto I, Díez-Martínez R, Oyarzabal J. Zebrafish: Speeding Up the Cancer Drug Discovery Process. Cancer Res 2018; 78:6048-6058. [PMID: 30327381 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-1029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an ideal in vivo model to study a wide variety of human cancer types. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of zebrafish in the cancer drug discovery process, from (i) approaches to induce malignant tumors, (ii) techniques to monitor cancer progression, and (iii) strategies for compound administration to (iv) a compilation of the 355 existing case studies showing the impact of zebrafish models on cancer drug discovery, which cover a broad scope of scenarios. Finally, based on the current state-of-the-art analysis, this review presents some highlights about future directions using zebrafish in cancer drug discovery and the potential of this model as a prognostic tool in prospective clinical studies. Cancer Res; 78(21); 6048-58. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Letrado
- Ikan Biotech SL, The Zebrafish Lab Department, Centro Europeo de Empresas e Innovación de Navarra (CEIN), Noain, Spain.,Small Molecule Discovery Platform, Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Irene de Miguel
- Small Molecule Discovery Platform, Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Iranzu Lamberto
- Ikan Biotech SL, The Zebrafish Lab Department, Centro Europeo de Empresas e Innovación de Navarra (CEIN), Noain, Spain
| | - Roberto Díez-Martínez
- Ikan Biotech SL, The Zebrafish Lab Department, Centro Europeo de Empresas e Innovación de Navarra (CEIN), Noain, Spain.
| | - Julen Oyarzabal
- Small Molecule Discovery Platform, Molecular Therapeutics Program, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
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44
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How Surrogate and Chemical Genetics in Model Organisms Can Suggest Therapies for Human Genetic Diseases. Genetics 2018; 208:833-851. [PMID: 29487144 PMCID: PMC5844338 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.117.300124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic diseases are both inherited and acquired. Many genetic diseases fall under the paradigm of orphan diseases, a disease found in < 1 in 2000 persons. With rapid and cost-effective genome sequencing becoming the norm, many causal mutations for genetic diseases are being rapidly determined. In this regard, model organisms are playing an important role in validating if specific mutations identified in patients drive the observed phenotype. An emerging challenge for model organism researchers is the application of genetic and chemical genetic platforms to discover drug targets and drugs/drug-like molecules for potential treatment options for patients with genetic disease. This review provides an overview of how model organisms have contributed to our understanding of genetic disease, with a focus on the roles of yeast and zebrafish in gene discovery and the identification of compounds that could potentially treat human genetic diseases.
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45
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Vazquez Rodriguez G, Abrahamsson A, Jensen LDE, Dabrosin C. Adipocytes Promote Early Steps of Breast Cancer Cell Dissemination via Interleukin-8. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1767. [PMID: 30105032 PMCID: PMC6077262 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fat is a major tissue component in human breast cancer (BC). Whether breast adipocytes (BAd) affect early stages of BC metastasis is yet unknown. BC progression is dependent on angiogenesis and inflammation, and interleukin-8 (IL-8) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are key regulators of these events. Here, we show that BAd increased the dissemination of estrogen receptor positive BC cells (BCC) in vivo in the zebrafish model of metastasis, while dissemination of the more aggressive and metastatic BCC such as estrogen receptor negative was unaffected. While anti-VEGF and anti-IL-8 exhibited equal inhibition of angiogenesis at the primary tumor site, anti-IL-8 reduced BCC dissemination whereas anti-VEGF had minor effects on this early metastatic event. Mechanistically, overexpression of cell-adhesion molecules in BCC and neutrophils via IL-8 increased the dissemination of BCC. Importantly, the extracellular in vivo levels of IL-8 were 40-fold higher than those of VEGF in human BC. Our results suggest that IL-8 is a clinical relevant and promising therapeutic target for human BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Vazquez Rodriguez
- Department of Oncology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Annelie Abrahamsson
- Department of Oncology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Lasse Dahl Ejby Jensen
- Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Charlotta Dabrosin
- Department of Oncology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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46
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Xie Z, Guo W, Guo N, Huangfu M, Liu H, Lin M, Xu W, Chen J, Wang T, Wei Q, Han M, Gao J. Targeting tumor hypoxia with stimulus-responsive nanocarriers in overcoming drug resistance and monitoring anticancer efficacy. Acta Biomater 2018; 71:351-362. [PMID: 29545193 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2018.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Although existing nanomedicines have focused on the tumor microenvironment with the goal of improving the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy, the penetration of a tumor's core still represents a formidable barrier for existing drug delivery systems. Therefore, a novel multifunctional hypoxia-induced size-shrinkable nanoparticle has been designed to increase the penetration of drugs, nucleic acids, or probes into tumors. This cooperative strategy relies on three aspects: (i) the responsiveness of nanoparticles to hypoxia, which shrink when triggered by low oxygen concentrations; (ii) the core of a nanoparticle involves an internal cavity and strong positive charges on the surface to deliver both doxorubicin and siRNA; and (iii) a reactive oxygen species (ROS) probe is incorporated in the nanoparticle to monitor its preliminary therapeutic response in real time, which is expected to realize the enhanced efficacy together with the ability to self-monitor the anticancer activity. A more effective inhibition of tumor growth was observed in tumor-bearing zebrafish, demonstrating the feasibility of this cooperative strategy for in vivo applications. This research highlights a promising value in delivering drugs, nucleic acids, or probes to a tumor's core for cancer imaging and treatment. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Hypoxia-induced chemoresistance of tumor cells still represents a formidable barrier, as it is difficult for existing drug delivery systems to penetrate the tumor hypoxia core. This study involves the hypoxia-responsive size-shrinkable nanoparticle co-delivery of DOX and siRNA to enhance the penetration of DOX deep within tumors and subsequently disturb crucial pathways of cancer development induced by hypoxia and to improve sensitization to DOX chemotherapy. Furthermore, the nanopreparation can combine the ROS probe as a self-reporting nanopreparation to realize the function of real-time feedback efficacy, which has a good application prospect in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqi Xie
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Wangwei Guo
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Ningning Guo
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Mingyi Huangfu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Huina Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Mengting Lin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - WenHong Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, College of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Jiejian Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, College of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - TianTian Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Qichun Wei
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, College of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Min Han
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
| | - Jianqing Gao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
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47
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A kinome-wide RNAi screen identifies ALK as a target to sensitize neuroblastoma cells for HDAC8-inhibitor treatment. Cell Death Differ 2018. [PMID: 29515255 PMCID: PMC6261943 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-018-0080-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The prognosis of advanced stage neuroblastoma patients remains poor and, despite intensive therapy, the 5-year survival rate remains less than 50%. We previously identified histone deacetylase (HDAC) 8 as an indicator of poor clinical outcome and a selective drug target for differentiation therapy in vitro and in vivo. Here, we performed kinome-wide RNAi screening to identify genes that are synthetically lethal with HDAC8 inhibitors. These experiments identified the neuroblastoma predisposition gene ALK as a candidate gene. Accordingly, the combination of the ALK/MET inhibitor crizotinib and selective HDAC8 inhibitors (3–6 µM PCI-34051 or 10 µM 20a) efficiently killed neuroblastoma cell lines carrying wildtype ALK (SK-N-BE(2)-C, IMR5/75), amplified ALK (NB-1), and those carrying the activating ALK F1174L mutation (Kelly), and, in cells carrying the activating R1275Q mutation (LAN-5), combination treatment decreased viable cell count. The effective dose of crizotinib in neuroblastoma cell lines ranged from 0.05 µM (ALK-amplified) to 0.8 µM (wildtype ALK). The combinatorial inhibition of ALK and HDAC8 also decreased tumor growth in an in vivo zebrafish xenograft model. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that the mRNA expression level of HDAC8 was significantly correlated with that of ALK in two independent patient cohorts, the Academic Medical Center cohort (n = 88) and the German Neuroblastoma Trial cohort (n = 649), and co-expression of both target genes identified patients with very poor outcome. Mechanistically, HDAC8 and ALK converge at the level of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling and their downstream survival pathways, such as ERK signaling. Combination treatment of HDAC8 inhibitor with crizotinib efficiently blocked the activation of growth receptor survival signaling and shifted the cell cycle arrest and differentiation phenotype toward effective cell death of neuroblastoma cell lines, including sensitization of resistant models, but not of normal cells. These findings reveal combined targeting of ALK and HDAC8 as a novel strategy for the treatment of neuroblastoma.
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48
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Wyatt RA, Trieu NPV, Crawford BD. Zebrafish Xenograft: An Evolutionary Experiment in Tumour Biology. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:E220. [PMID: 28872594 PMCID: PMC5615353 DOI: 10.3390/genes8090220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 08/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Though the cancer research community has used mouse xenografts for decades more than zebrafish xenografts, zebrafish have much to offer: they are cheap, easy to work with, and the embryonic model is relatively easy to use in high-throughput assays. Zebrafish can be imaged live, allowing us to observe cellular and molecular processes in vivo in real time. Opponents dismiss the zebrafish model due to the evolutionary distance between zebrafish and humans, as compared to mice, but proponents argue for the zebrafish xenograft's superiority to cell culture systems and its advantages in imaging. This review places the zebrafish xenograft in the context of current views on cancer and gives an overview of how several aspects of this evolutionary disease can be addressed in the zebrafish model. Zebrafish are missing homologs of some human proteins and (of particular interest) several members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of proteases, which are known for their importance in tumour biology. This review draws attention to the implicit evolutionary experiment taking place when the molecular ecology of the xenograft host is significantly different than that of the donor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael A Wyatt
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.
| | - Nhu P V Trieu
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.
| | - Bryan D Crawford
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.
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49
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Control of Mucosal Candidiasis in the Zebrafish Swim Bladder Depends on Neutrophils That Block Filament Invasion and Drive Extracellular-Trap Production. Infect Immun 2017; 85:IAI.00276-17. [PMID: 28607100 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00276-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a ubiquitous mucosal commensal that is normally prevented from causing acute or chronic invasive disease. Neutrophils contribute to protection in oral infection but exacerbate vulvovaginal candidiasis. To dissect the role of neutrophils during mucosal candidiasis, we took advantage of a new, transparent zebrafish swim bladder infection model. Intravital microscopic tracking of individual animals revealed that the blocking of neutrophil recruitment leads to rapid mortality in this model through faster disease progression. Conversely, artificial recruitment of neutrophils during early infection reduces disease pressure. Noninvasive longitudinal tracking showed that mortality is a consequence of C. albicans breaching the epithelial barrier and invading surrounding tissues. Accordingly, we found that a hyperfilamentous C. albicans strain breaches the epithelial barrier more frequently and causes mortality in immunocompetent zebrafish. A lack of neutrophils at the infection site is associated with less fungus-associated extracellular DNA and less damage to fungal filaments, suggesting that neutrophil extracellular traps help to protect the epithelial barrier from C. albicans breach. We propose a homeostatic model where C. albicans disease pressure is balanced by neutrophil-mediated damage of fungi, maintaining this organism as a commensal while minimizing the risk of damage to host tissue. The unequaled ability to dissect infection dynamics at a high spatiotemporal resolution makes this zebrafish model a unique tool for understanding mucosal host-pathogen interactions.
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50
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Gaudenzi G, Albertelli M, Dicitore A, Würth R, Gatto F, Barbieri F, Cotelli F, Florio T, Ferone D, Persani L, Vitale G. Patient-derived xenograft in zebrafish embryos: a new platform for translational research in neuroendocrine tumors. Endocrine 2017; 57:214-219. [PMID: 27481363 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-016-1048-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical research on neuroendocrine tumors usually involves immortalized cell lines and few animal models. In the present study we described an in vivo model based on patient-derived xenografts of neuroendocrine tumor cells in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos, allowing a rapid analysis of the angiogenic and invasive potential. Patient-derived neuroendocrine tumor cells were transplanted in 48 hours post-fertilization Tg(fli1a:EGFP) y1 zebrafish embryos that express enhanced green fluorescent protein in the entire vasculature. Neuroendocrine tumor cells, stained with CM-Dil, were injected into the subperidermal (perivitelline) space, close to the developing subintestinal venous plexus. A proper control group, represented by zebrafish injected with only D-PBS, was included in this study. Angiogenic and invasive potentials of each patient-derived xenograft were evaluated by both epifluorescence and confocal microscopes. Six out of eight neuroendocrine tumor samples were successfully transplanted in zebrafish embryos. Although the implanted tumor mass had a limited size (about 100 cells for embryos), patient-derived xenografts showed pro-angiogenic (5 cases) and invasive (6 cases) behaviors within 48 hours post injection. Patient-derived xenograft in zebrafish embryos appears to be a reliable in vivo preclinical model for neuroendocrine tumors, tumors with often limited cell availability. The rapidity of this procedure makes our model a promising platform to perform preclinical drug screening and opens a new scenario for personalized treatment in patients with neuroendocrine tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germano Gaudenzi
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health (DISCCO), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Albertelli
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Dicitore
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Würth
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federico Gatto
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federica Barbieri
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Franco Cotelli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Tullio Florio
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Diego Ferone
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Luca Persani
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health (DISCCO), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Vitale
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health (DISCCO), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
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