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De Cock L, Bercier V, Van Den Bosch L. New developments in pre-clinical models of ALS to guide translation. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 176:477-524. [PMID: 38802181 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which selective death of motor neurons leads to muscle weakness and paralysis. Most research has focused on understanding and treating monogenic familial forms, most frequently caused by mutations in SOD1, FUS, TARDBP and C9orf72, although ALS is mostly sporadic and without a clear genetic cause. Rodent models have been developed to study monogenic ALS, but despite numerous pre-clinical studies and clinical trials, few disease-modifying therapies are available. ALS is a heterogeneous disease with complex underlying mechanisms where several genes and molecular pathways appear to play a role. One reason for the high failure rate of clinical translation from the current models could be oversimplification in pre-clinical studies. Here, we review advances in pre-clinical models to better capture the heterogeneous nature of ALS and discuss the value of novel model systems to guide translation and aid in the development of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenja De Cock
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Louvain-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valérie Bercier
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Louvain-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Louvain-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium.
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Dicitore A, Gaudenzi G, Carra S, Cantone MC, Oldani M, Saronni D, Borghi MO, Grotteschi J, Persani L, Vitale G. Antitumor Activity of Axitinib in Lung Carcinoids: A Preclinical Study. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5375. [PMID: 38001635 PMCID: PMC10669991 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15225375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung carcinoids (LCs) comprise well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors classified as typical (TCs) and atypical (ACs) carcinoids. Unfortunately, curative therapies remain elusive for metastatic LCs, which account for 25-30% of cases. This study evaluated the antitumor activity of axitinib (AXI), a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor selectively targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3) in human lung TC (NCI-H727, UMC-11, NCI-H835) and AC (NCI-H720) cell lines. In vitro and in vivo (zebrafish) assays were performed following AXI treatment to gather several read-outs about cell viability, cell cycle, the secretion of proangiogenic factors, apoptosis, tumor-induced angiogenesis and migration. AXI demonstrated relevant antitumor activity in human LC cells, with pronounced effects observed in UMC-11 and NCI-H720, characterized by cell cycle perturbation and apoptosis induction. AXI significantly hindered tumor induced-angiogenesis in Tg(fli1a:EGFP)y1 zebrafish embryos implanted with all LC cell lines and also reduced the invasiveness of NCI-H720 cells, as well as the secretion of several proangiogenic factors. In conclusion, our study provides initial evidence supporting the potential anti-tumor activity of AXI in LC, offering a promising basis for future investigations in mammalian animal models and, eventually, progressing to clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Dicitore
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (A.D.); (D.S.); (J.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Germano Gaudenzi
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145 Milan, Italy; (G.G.); (M.C.C.); (M.O.)
| | - Silvia Carra
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145 Milan, Italy;
| | - Maria Celeste Cantone
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145 Milan, Italy; (G.G.); (M.C.C.); (M.O.)
| | - Monica Oldani
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145 Milan, Italy; (G.G.); (M.C.C.); (M.O.)
| | - Davide Saronni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (A.D.); (D.S.); (J.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Maria Orietta Borghi
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy;
- Experimental Laboratory of Immuno-Rheumatology, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145 Milan, Italy
| | - Jacopo Grotteschi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (A.D.); (D.S.); (J.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Luca Persani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (A.D.); (D.S.); (J.G.); (L.P.)
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145 Milan, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Vitale
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (A.D.); (D.S.); (J.G.); (L.P.)
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145 Milan, Italy; (G.G.); (M.C.C.); (M.O.)
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3
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Martinez-Ruiz L, López-Rodríguez A, Florido J, Rodríguez-Santana C, Rodríguez Ferrer JM, Acuña-Castroviejo D, Escames G. Patient-derived tumor models in cancer research: Evaluation of the oncostatic effects of melatonin. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115581. [PMID: 37748411 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of new anticancer therapies tends to be very slow. Although their impact on potential candidates is confirmed in preclinical studies, ∼95 % of these new therapies are not approved when tested in clinical trials. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of accurate preclinical models. In this context, there are different patient-derived models, which have emerged as a powerful oncological tool: patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), patient-derived organoids (PDOs), and patient-derived cells (PDCs). Although all these models are widely applied, PDXs, which are created by engraftment of patient tumor tissues into mice, is considered more reliable. In fundamental research, the PDX model is used to evaluate drug-sensitive markers and, in clinical practice, to select a personalized therapeutic strategy. Melatonin is of particular importance in the development of innovative cancer treatments due to its oncostatic impact and lack of adverse effects. However, the literature regarding the oncostatic effect of melatonin in patient-derived tumor models is scant. This review aims to describe the important role of patient-derived models in the development of anticancer treatments, focusing, in particular, on PDX models, as well as their use in cancer research. This review also summarizes the existing literature on the anti-tumoral effect of melatonin in patient-derived models in order to propose future anti-neoplastic clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Martinez-Ruiz
- Institute of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Center, Health Sciences Technology Park, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (Ibs), Granada, San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Alba López-Rodríguez
- Institute of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Center, Health Sciences Technology Park, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (Ibs), Granada, San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Javier Florido
- Institute of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Center, Health Sciences Technology Park, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (Ibs), Granada, San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Cesar Rodríguez-Santana
- Institute of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Center, Health Sciences Technology Park, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (Ibs), Granada, San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - José M Rodríguez Ferrer
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Darío Acuña-Castroviejo
- Institute of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Center, Health Sciences Technology Park, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (Ibs), Granada, San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Germaine Escames
- Institute of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Center, Health Sciences Technology Park, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (Ibs), Granada, San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
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Forsythe SD, Pu T, Andrews SG, Madigan JP, Sadowski SM. Models in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Current Perspectives and Future Directions. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3756. [PMID: 37568572 PMCID: PMC10416968 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors derived from multiple neuroendocrine origin cell subtypes. Incidence rates for pNENs have steadily risen over the last decade, and outcomes continue to vary widely due to inability to properly screen. These tumors encompass a wide range of functional and non-functional subtypes, with their rarity and slow growth making therapeutic development difficult as most clinically used therapeutics are derived from retrospective analyses. Improved molecular understanding of these cancers has increased our knowledge of the tumor biology for pNENs. Despite these advances in our understanding of pNENs, there remains a dearth of models for further investigation. In this review, we will cover the current field of pNEN models, which include established cell lines, animal models such as mice and zebrafish, and three-dimensional (3D) cell models, and compare their uses in modeling various disease aspects. While no study model is a complete representation of pNEN biology, each has advantages which allow for new scientific understanding of these rare tumors. Future efforts and advancements in technology will continue to create new options in modeling these cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven D. Forsythe
- Neuroendocrine Cancer Therapy Section, Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.D.F.); (S.G.A.); (J.P.M.)
| | - Tracey Pu
- Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Stephen G. Andrews
- Neuroendocrine Cancer Therapy Section, Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.D.F.); (S.G.A.); (J.P.M.)
| | - James P. Madigan
- Neuroendocrine Cancer Therapy Section, Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.D.F.); (S.G.A.); (J.P.M.)
| | - Samira M. Sadowski
- Neuroendocrine Cancer Therapy Section, Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.D.F.); (S.G.A.); (J.P.M.)
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Basheer F, Sertori R, Liongue C, Ward AC. Zebrafish: A Relevant Genetic Model for Human Primary Immunodeficiency (PID) Disorders? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076468. [PMID: 37047441 PMCID: PMC10095346 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary immunodeficiency (PID) disorders, also commonly referred to as inborn errors of immunity, are a heterogenous group of human genetic diseases characterized by defects in immune cell development and/or function. Since these disorders are generally uncommon and occur on a variable background profile of potential genetic and environmental modifiers, animal models are critical to provide mechanistic insights as well as to create platforms to underpin therapeutic development. This review aims to review the relevance of zebrafish as an alternative genetic model for PIDs. It provides an overview of the conservation of the zebrafish immune system and details specific examples of zebrafish models for a multitude of specific human PIDs across a range of distinct categories, including severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), combined immunodeficiency (CID), multi-system immunodeficiency, autoinflammatory disorders, neutropenia and defects in leucocyte mobility and respiratory burst. It also describes some of the diverse applications of these models, particularly in the fields of microbiology, immunology, regenerative biology and oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Basheer
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
- Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Robert Sertori
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Clifford Liongue
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
- Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Alister C Ward
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
- Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
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6
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Vitale G, Carra S, Alessi Y, Campolo F, Pandozzi C, Zanata I, Colao A, Faggiano A. Carcinoid Syndrome: Preclinical Models and Future Therapeutic Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043610. [PMID: 36835022 PMCID: PMC9961914 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Carcinoid syndrome represents a debilitating paraneoplastic disease, caused by the secretion of several substances, occurring in about 10-40% of patients with well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The main signs and symptoms associated with carcinoid syndrome are flushing, diarrhea, hypotension, tachycardia, bronchoconstriction, venous telangiectasia, dyspnea and fibrotic complications (mesenteric and retroperitoneal fibrosis, and carcinoid heart disease). Although there are several drugs available for the treatment of carcinoid syndrome, the lack of therapeutic response, poor tolerance or resistance to drugs are often reported. Preclinical models are indispensable tools for investigating the pathogenesis, mechanisms for tumor progression and new therapeutic approaches for cancer. This paper provides a state-of-the-art overview of in vitro and in vivo models in NETs with carcinoid syndrome, highlighting the future developments and therapeutic approaches in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Vitale
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20100 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-02-6191-12023; Fax: +39-02-6191-13033
| | - Silvia Carra
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20100 Milan, Italy
| | - Ylenia Alessi
- Endocrine Unit, University Hospital “Gaetano Martino” of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Federica Campolo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Carla Pandozzi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Isabella Zanata
- Section of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Annamaria Colao
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Antongiulio Faggiano
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant’Andrea Hospital, ENETS Center of Excellence, Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy
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Wang Y, Wang F, Qin Y, Lou X, Ye Z, Zhang W, Gao H, Chen J, Xu X, Yu X, Ji S. Recent progress of experimental model in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: drawbacks and challenges. Endocrine 2023; 80:266-282. [PMID: 36648608 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-023-03299-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The neuroendocrine neoplasm, in general, refers to a heterogeneous group of all tumors originating from peptidergic neurons and neuroendocrine cells. Neuroendocrine neoplasms are divided into two histopathological subtypes: well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors and poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors account for more than 80% of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. Due to the greater proportion of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors compared to pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma, this review will only focus on them. The worldwide incidence of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors is rising year by year due to sensitive detection with an emphasis on medical examinations and the improvement of testing technology. Although the biological behavior of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors tends to be inert, distant metastasis is common, often occurring very early. Because of the paucity of basic research on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, the mechanism of tumor development, metastasis, and recurrence are still unclear. In this context, the representative preclinical models simulating the tumor development process are becoming ever more widely appreciated to address the clinical problems of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. So far, there is no comprehensive report on the experimental model of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. This article systematically summarizes the characteristics of preclinical models, such as patient-derived cell lines, patient-derived xenografts, genetically engineered mouse models, and patient-derived organoids, and their advantages and disadvantages, to provide a reference for further studies of neuroendocrine tumors. We also highlight the method of establishment of liver metastasis mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yi Qin
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xin Lou
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zeng Ye
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wuhu Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Heli Gao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaowu Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Xianjun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Shunrong Ji
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Li X, Li M. The application of zebrafish patient-derived xenograft tumor models in the development of antitumor agents. Med Res Rev 2023; 43:212-236. [PMID: 36029178 DOI: 10.1002/med.21924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The cost of antitumor drug development is enormous, yet the clinical outcomes are less than satisfactory. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop effective drug screening methods that enable accurate, rapid, and high-throughput discovery of lead compounds in the process of preclinical antitumor drug research. An effective solution is to use the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumor animal models, which are applicable for the elucidation of tumor pathogenesis and the preclinical testing of novel antitumor compounds. As a promising screening model organism, zebrafish has been widely applied in the construction of the PDX tumor model and the discovery of antineoplastic agents. Herein, we systematically survey the recent cutting-edge advances in zebrafish PDX models (zPDX) for studies of pathogenesis mechanisms and drug screening. In addition, the techniques used in the construction of zPDX are summarized. The advantages and limitations of the zPDX are also discussed in detail. Finally, the prospects of zPDX in drug discovery, translational medicine, and clinical precision medicine treatment are well presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Minyong Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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Koffas A, Giakoustidis A, Papaefthymiou A, Bangeas P, Giakoustidis D, Papadopoulos VN, Toumpanakis C. Diagnostic work-up and advancement in the diagnosis of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. Front Surg 2023; 10:1064145. [PMID: 36950054 PMCID: PMC10025557 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2023.1064145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms ranging from well-differentiated, slowly growing tumors to poorly differentiated carcinomas. These tumors are generally characterized by indolent course and quite often absence of specific symptoms, thus eluding diagnosis until at an advanced stage. This underscores the importance of establishing a prompt and accurate diagnosis. The gold-standard remains histopathology. This should contain neuroendocrine-specific markers, such as chromogranin A; and also, an estimate of the proliferation by Ki-67 (or MIB-1), which is pivotal for treatment selection and prognostication. Initial work-up involves assessment of serum Chromogranin A and in selected patients gut peptide hormones. More recently, the measurement of multiple NEN-related transcripts, or the detection of circulating tumor cells enhanced our current diagnostic armamentarium and appears to supersede historical serum markers, such as Chromogranin A. Standard imaging procedures include cross-sectional imaging, either computed tomography or magnetic resonance, and are combined with somatostatin receptor scintigraphy. In particular, the advent of 111In-DTPA-octreotide and more recently PET/CT and 68Ga-DOTA-Octreotate scans revolutionized the diagnostic landscape of NENs. Likewise, FDG PET represents an invaluable asset in the management of high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas. Lastly, endoscopy, either conventional, or more advanced modalities such as endoscopic ultrasound, capsule endoscopy and enteroscopy, are essential for the diagnosis and staging of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms and are routinely integrated in clinical practice. The complexity and variability of NENs necessitate the deep understanding of the current diagnostic strategies, which in turn assists in offering optimal patient-tailored treatment. The current review article presents the diagnostic work-up of GEP-NENs and all the recent advances in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apostolos Koffas
- Centre for Immunobiology, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Correspondence: Apostolos Koffas
| | - Alexandros Giakoustidis
- 1st Department of Surgery, General Hospital Papageorgiou, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Apostolis Papaefthymiou
- Pancreaticobiliary Medicine Unit, University College London Hospitals (UCLH), London, United Kingdom
| | - Petros Bangeas
- 1st Department of Surgery, General Hospital Papageorgiou, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Giakoustidis
- 1st Department of Surgery, General Hospital Papageorgiou, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasileios N Papadopoulos
- 1st Department of Surgery, General Hospital Papageorgiou, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Christos Toumpanakis
- Centre for Gastroenterology, Neuroendocrine Tumour Unit, ENETS Centre of Excellence, Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom
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Preclinical Models of Neuroendocrine Neoplasia. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225646. [PMID: 36428741 PMCID: PMC9688518 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine neoplasia (NENs) are a complex and heterogeneous group of cancers that can arise from neuroendocrine tissues throughout the body and differentiate them from other tumors. Their low incidence and high diversity make many of them orphan conditions characterized by a low incidence and few dedicated clinical trials. Study of the molecular and genetic nature of these diseases is limited in comparison to more common cancers and more dependent on preclinical models, including both in vitro models (such as cell lines and 3D models) and in vivo models (such as patient derived xenografts (PDXs) and genetically-engineered mouse models (GEMMs)). While preclinical models do not fully recapitulate the nature of these cancers in patients, they are useful tools in investigation of the basic biology and early-stage investigation for evaluation of treatments for these cancers. We review available preclinical models for each type of NEN and discuss their history as well as their current use and translation.
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Vinoth S, Selvaraj V, Venkatasubramanian H, Santhakumar K. A Simple Blood Vessel Imaging Protocol for Live Zebrafish Larva. Zebrafish 2022; 19:177-180. [DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2022.0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- S. Vinoth
- Zebrafish Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, India
| | - Velanganni Selvaraj
- Zebrafish Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, India
| | - Hemagowri Venkatasubramanian
- Zebrafish Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, India
| | - Kirankumar Santhakumar
- Zebrafish Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, India
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12
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Preclinical Evaluation of Novel Tyrosine-Kinase Inhibitors in Medullary Thyroid Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14184442. [PMID: 36139603 PMCID: PMC9497079 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a neuroendocrine tumor arising from parafollicular calcitonin-secreting C cells of the thyroid. Most of the patients affected by MTC, especially the familial form, harbor a mutation of the RET proto-oncogene. In patients with advanced disease, medical therapy is represented by two tyrosine-kinase inhibitors: cabozantinib and vandetanib. However, their usage is limited by several adverse events and drug-resistance onset. The aim of this preclinical study was to evaluate the antitumor activity of novel molecules for the therapy of MTC: SU5402, an inhibitor of the fibroblast growth factor receptor type 1 (FGFR-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-2; sulfatinib, a multi-target kinase inhibitor selective for FGFR-1 and the VEGFR-1, -2, and -3; SPP86, a RET-specific inhibitor. Our results suggest a potential role in targeting the FGFR and VEGFR signaling pathways as an alternative strategy for resistant tumors and a significative antitumor activity of this new RET-specific inhibitor. Abstract Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a neuroendocrine tumor arising from parafollicular C cells of the thyroid gland. In this preclinical study, we tested three tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs): SU5402, a selective inhibitor of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-2; sulfatinib, an inhibitor of FGFR-1 and VEGFR-1, -2, -3; and SPP86, a RET-specific inhibitor. The effects of these compounds were evaluated in vitro in two human MTC cell lines (TT and MZ-CRC-1), and in vivo using xenografts of MTC cells in zebrafish embryos. SU5402, sulfatinib and SPP86 decreased cell viability. Sulfatinib and SPP86 significantly induced apoptosis in both cell lines. Sulfatinib and SPP86 inhibited the migration of TT and MZCRC-1 cells, while SU5402 was able to inhibit migration only in TT cells. In vivo we observed a significant reduction in TT cell-induced angiogenesis in zebrafish embryos after incubation with sulfatinib and SPP86. In conclusion, sulfatinib and SPP86 displayed a relevant antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, this work suggests the potential utility of targeting FGFR and VEGFR signaling pathways as an alternative therapy for MTC.
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Dudziak K, Nowak M, Sozoniuk M. One Host-Multiple Applications: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as Promising Model for Studying Human Cancers and Pathogenic Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810255. [PMID: 36142160 PMCID: PMC9499349 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, zebrafish (ZF) has been increasingly applied as a model in human disease studies, with a particular focus on cancer. A number of advantages make it an attractive alternative for mice widely used so far. Due to the many advantages of zebrafish, modifications can be based on different mechanisms and the induction of human disease can take different forms depending on the research goal. Genetic manipulation, tumor transplantation, or injection of the pathogen are only a few examples of using ZF as a model. Most of the studies are conducted in order to understand the disease mechanism, monitor disease progression, test new or alternative therapies, and select the best treatment. The transplantation of cancer cells derived from patients enables the development of personalized medicine. To better mimic a patient’s body environment, immune-deficient models (SCID) have been developed. A lower immune response is mostly generated by genetic manipulation but also by irradiation or dexamethasone treatment. For many studies, using SCID provides a better chance to avoid cancer cell rejection. In this review, we describe the main directions of using ZF in research, explain why and how zebrafish can be used as a model, what kind of limitations will be met and how to overcome them. We collected recent achievements in this field, indicating promising perspectives for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Dudziak
- Chair and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland
- Correspondence: (K.D.); (M.N.)
| | - Michał Nowak
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
- Correspondence: (K.D.); (M.N.)
| | - Magdalena Sozoniuk
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
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14
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Zebrafish Models of Paediatric Brain Tumours. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179920. [PMID: 36077320 PMCID: PMC9456103 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Paediatric brain cancer is the second most common childhood cancer and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children. Despite significant advancements in the treatment modalities and improvements in the 5-year survival rate, it leaves long-term therapy-associated side effects in paediatric patients. Addressing these impairments demands further understanding of the molecularity and heterogeneity of these brain tumours, which can be demonstrated using different animal models of paediatric brain cancer. Here we review the use of zebrafish as potential in vivo models for paediatric brain tumour modelling, as well as catalogue the currently available zebrafish models used to study paediatric brain cancer pathophysiology, and discuss key findings, the unique attributes that these models add, current challenges and therapeutic significance.
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15
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Modeling Lung Carcinoids with Zebrafish Tumor Xenograft. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158126. [PMID: 35897702 PMCID: PMC9330857 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung carcinoids are neuroendocrine tumors that comprise well-differentiated typical (TCs) and atypical carcinoids (ACs). Preclinical models are indispensable for cancer drug screening since current therapies for advanced carcinoids are not curative. We aimed to develop a novel in vivo model of lung carcinoids based on the xenograft of lung TC (NCI-H835, UMC-11, and NCI-H727) and AC (NCI-H720) cell lines and patient-derived cell cultures in Tg(fli1a:EGFP)y1 zebrafish embryos. We exploited this platform to test the anti-tumor activity of sulfatinib. The tumorigenic potential of TC and AC implanted cells was evaluated by the quantification of tumor-induced angiogenesis and tumor cell migration as early as 24 h post-injection (hpi). The characterization of tumor-induced angiogenesis was performed in vivo and in real time, coupling the tumor xenograft with selective plane illumination microscopy on implanted zebrafish embryos. TC-implanted cells displayed a higher pro-angiogenic potential compared to AC cells, which inversely showed a relevant migratory behavior within 48 hpi. Sulfatinib inhibited tumor-induced angiogenesis, without affecting tumor cell spread in both TC and AC implanted embryos. In conclusion, zebrafish embryos implanted with TC and AC cells faithfully recapitulate the tumor behavior of human lung carcinoids and appear to be a promising platform for drug screening.
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16
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Wang Q, Wang W, Pan W, Lv X, Zhang L, Zheng K, Tian F, Xu C. Case Report: Two Patients With EGFR Exon 20 Insertion Mutanted Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Precision Treatment Using Patient-Derived Xenografts in Zebrafish Embryos. Front Oncol 2022; 12:884798. [PMID: 35936715 PMCID: PMC9348893 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.884798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations are uncommon EGFR mutations and generally resistant to first- and second-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). In precision oncology, treatment regimens are tested for improving the clinical outcomes. Zebrafish embryo tumor transplant models are used in cancer research. Methods We report two Chinese females who were diagnosed with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma and shown to harbor EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Then, we established lung cancer patient-derived xenografts using a zebrafish model. The tumor cells were isolated from the patient. For case one, tumor cells were collected from lymph node biopsy, while the tumor cells were obtained from the pleural effusion. Zebrafish were inoculated with tumor cells and placed in the culture medium containing the third-generation EGFR-TKI, osimertinib. Fluorescence microscope photographs were used to record the red fluorescence area, which represented the proliferation and migration of tumor cells in the zebrafish. Results Case one was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma (cT4N3M1b, stage IVB) and had an EGFR exon 20 mutation (p. N771delinsHH [abundance 14.08%]). Tumor cell proliferation and migration were significantly reduced in the osimertinib group compared with the control group. The patient received first-line osimertinib (160 mg). According to RECIST v1.1, she achieved a partial response. Case two had stage IVA lung adenocarcinoma with a pleural effusion. The pleural effusion sample was selected to obtain tumor cells for injection, and the zebrafish lung cancer model was established. The proliferation of tumor cells in the osimertinib group was significantly reduced compared to the control group. The migration of tumor cells was not significantly reduced compared to the control group. The patient also received first-line osimertinib (160 mg). The lung lesions were stable, but the pleural effusion was poorly controlled. Conclusion Our study demonstrates the applicability of a zebrafish embryos model as an innovative platform to targeted drug testing. More precise methods are needed to select treatment options in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suqian Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Suqian, China
| | - Wenxian Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou, China
| | - Weiwei Pan
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Xiaojing Lv
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suqian Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Suqian, China
| | - Kaiming Zheng
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Fang Tian
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Chunwei Xu, ; Fang Tian,
| | - Chunwei Xu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Chunwei Xu, ; Fang Tian,
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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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18
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Zeng M, Pi C, Li K, Sheng L, Zuo Y, Yuan J, Zou Y, Zhang X, Zhao W, Lee RJ, Wei Y, Zhao L. Patient-Derived Xenograft: A More Standard "Avatar" Model in Preclinical Studies of Gastric Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:898563. [PMID: 35664756 PMCID: PMC9161630 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.898563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, gastric cancer remains the third most common cause of cancer-related death in humans. The establishment of relevant animal models of gastric cancer is critical for further research. Due to the complexity of the tumor microenvironment and the genetic heterogeneity of gastric cancer, the commonly used preclinical animal models fail to adequately represent clinically relevant models of gastric cancer. However, patient-derived models are able to replicate as much of the original inter-tumoral and intra-tumoral heterogeneity of gastric cancer as possible, reflecting the cellular interactions of the tumor microenvironment. In addition to implanting patient tissues or primary cells into immunodeficient mouse hosts for culture, the advent of alternative hosts such as humanized mouse hosts, zebrafish hosts, and in vitro culture modalities has also facilitated the advancement of gastric cancer research. This review highlights the current status, characteristics, interfering factors, and applications of patient-derived models that have emerged as more valuable preclinical tools for studying the progression and metastasis of gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingtang Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Chao Pi
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ke Li
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Lin Sheng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ying Zuo
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Department of Comprehensive Medicine, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jiyuan Yuan
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Clinical Trial Center, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yonggen Zou
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Department of Spinal Surgery, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiaomei Zhang
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Institute of Medicinal Chemistry of Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Academy of Chinese MateriaMedica, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenmei Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Robert J Lee
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Yumeng Wei
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ling Zhao
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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19
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Precision Medicine in Head and Neck Cancers: Genomic and Preclinical Approaches. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12060854. [PMID: 35743639 PMCID: PMC9224778 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12060854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) represent the sixth most widespread malignancy worldwide. Surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic drugs represent the main clinical approaches for HNC patients. Moreover, HNCs are characterised by an elevated mutational load; however, specific genetic mutations or biomarkers have not yet been found. In this scenario, personalised medicine is showing its efficacy. To study the reliability and the effects of personalised treatments, preclinical research can take advantage of next-generation sequencing and innovative technologies that have been developed to obtain genomic and multi-omic profiles to drive personalised treatments. The crosstalk between malignant and healthy components, as well as interactions with extracellular matrices, are important features which are responsible for treatment failure. Preclinical research has constantly implemented in vitro and in vivo models to mimic the natural tumour microenvironment. Among them, 3D systems have been developed to reproduce the tumour mass architecture, such as biomimetic scaffolds and organoids. In addition, in vivo models have been changed over the last decades to overcome problems such as animal management complexity and time-consuming experiments. In this review, we will explore the new approaches aimed to improve preclinical tools to study and apply precision medicine as a therapeutic option for patients affected by HNCs.
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20
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Wu JQ, Fan RY, Zhai J, Li CY, Wei P, Shen LZ, He MF, Wang P, Huang XE. Docetaxel and 5-FU enhanced the inhibitory effects of apatinib and ramucirumab on growth and migration of gastric cancer. Life Sci 2022; 296:120439. [PMID: 35235851 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120439] [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] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. The clinical benefit of anti-angiogenic strategy as a single drug is limited. Some studies showed that the combination of anti-angiogenic therapy and chemotherapy exhibited synergistic effect and reduced the side effects of chemotherapy drugs. We investigated the combined effects of these two types of drugs in gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. METHODS cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were evaluated by CCK-8, wound-healing, transwell, and Annexin V-FITC/PI assay, respectively. In vivo anti-cancer efficacy was tested for the cell proliferation and metastasis in cell line derived tumor xenograft (CDX) model and patient derived tumor xenografted (PDX) model based on Tg (fli-1: EGFP) zebrafish embryos; RESULTS: In the cell experiments, the combination of the two types of drugs could inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of gastric cancer cells and promote apoptosis through VEGFR-2/AKT/ERK1/2 signal. In the zebrafish CDX (zCDX) model and zebrafish PDX (zPDX) model, the combination of the two treatment also showed a synergistic effect in inhibiting gastric cancer cell metastasis and cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS Apatinib/ramucirumab targeted therapy combined with docetaxel or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) may serve as an effective treatment strategy for patients with advanced gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Qi Wu
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China
| | - Ruo-Yue Fan
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China
| | - Jing Zhai
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Chong-Yong Li
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China
| | - Ping Wei
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China
| | - Li-Zong Shen
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Ming-Fang He
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China.
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Xin-En Huang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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21
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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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22
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Ali Z, Vildevall M, Rodriguez GV, Tandiono D, Vamvakaris I, Evangelou G, Lolas G, Syrigos KN, Villanueva A, Wick M, Omar S, Erkstam A, Schueler J, Fahlgren A, Jensen LD. Zebrafish patient-derived xenograft models predict lymph node involvement and treatment outcome in non-small cell lung cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:58. [PMID: 35139880 PMCID: PMC8827197 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02280-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Accurate predictions of tumor dissemination risks and medical treatment outcomes are critical to personalize therapy. Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models in mice have demonstrated high accuracy in predicting therapeutic outcomes, but methods for predicting tumor invasiveness and early stages of vascular/lymphatic dissemination are still lacking. Here we show that a zebrafish tumor xenograft (ZTX) platform based on implantation of PDX tissue fragments recapitulate both treatment outcome and tumor invasiveness/dissemination in patients, within an assay time of only 3 days. Methods Using a panel of 39 non-small cell lung cancer PDX models, we developed a combined mouse-zebrafish PDX platform based on direct implantation of cryopreserved PDX tissue fragments into zebrafish embryos, without the need for pre-culturing or expansion. Clinical proof-of-principle was established by direct implantation of tumor samples from four patients. Results The resulting ZTX models responded to Erlotinib and Paclitaxel, with similar potency as in mouse-PDX models and the patients themselves, and resistant tumors similarly failed to respond to these drugs in the ZTX system. Drug response was coupled to elevated expression of EGFR, Mdm2, Ptch1 and Tsc1 (Erlotinib), or Nras and Ptch1 (Paclitaxel) and reduced expression of Egfr, Erbb2 and Foxa (Paclitaxel). Importantly, ZTX models retained the invasive phenotypes of the tumors and predicted lymph node involvement of the patients with 91% sensitivity and 62% specificity, which was superior to clinically used tests. The biopsies from all four patient tested implanted successfully, and treatment outcome and dissemination were quantified for all patients in only 3 days. Conclusions We conclude that the ZTX platform provide a fast, accurate, and clinically relevant system for evaluation of treatment outcome and invasion/dissemination of PDX models, providing an attractive platform for combined mouse-zebrafish PDX trials and personalized medicine. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02280-x.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Georgios Evangelou
- 3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Lolas
- 3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,InCELLiA P.C, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos N Syrigos
- 3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Alberto Villanueva
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), Oncobell Program, L'Hospitalet del Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Xenopat S.L., Parc Cientific de Barcelona (PCB), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Shenga Omar
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Campus US, Entrance 68, Pl. 08, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden
| | | | | | - Anna Fahlgren
- BioReperia AB, Linköping, Sweden.,Division of Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linöping, Sweden
| | - Lasse D Jensen
- BioReperia AB, Linköping, Sweden. .,Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Campus US, Entrance 68, Pl. 08, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden.
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23
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Barbieri F, Bosio AG, Pattarozzi A, Tonelli M, Bajetto A, Verduci I, Cianci F, Cannavale G, Palloni LMG, Francesconi V, Thellung S, Fiaschi P, Mazzetti S, Schenone S, Balboni B, Girotto S, Malatesta P, Daga A, Zona G, Mazzanti M, Florio T. Chloride intracellular channel 1 activity is not required for glioblastoma development but its inhibition dictates glioma stem cell responsivity to novel biguanide derivatives. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2022; 41:53. [PMID: 35135603 PMCID: PMC8822754 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02213-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Chloride intracellular channel-1 (CLIC1) activity controls glioblastoma proliferation. Metformin exerts antitumor effects in glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) inhibiting CLIC1 activity, but its low potency hampers its translation in clinical settings.
Methods
We synthesized a small library of novel biguanide-based compounds that were tested as antiproliferative agents for GSCs derived from human glioblastomas, in vitro using 2D and 3D cultures and in vivo in the zebrafish model. Compounds were compared to metformin for both potency and efficacy in the inhibition of GSC proliferation in vitro (MTT, Trypan blue exclusion assays, and EdU labeling) and in vivo (zebrafish model), migration (Boyden chamber assay), invasiveness (Matrigel invasion assay), self-renewal (spherogenesis assay), and CLIC1 activity (electrophysiology recordings), as well as for the absence of off-target toxicity (effects on normal stem cells and toxicity for zebrafish and chick embryos).
Results
We identified Q48 and Q54 as two novel CLIC1 blockers, characterized by higher antiproliferative potency than metformin in vitro, in both GSC 2D cultures and 3D spheroids. Q48 and Q54 also impaired GSC self-renewal, migration and invasion, and displayed low systemic in vivo toxicity. Q54 reduced in vivo proliferation of GSCs xenotransplanted in zebrafish hindbrain. Target specificity was confirmed by recombinant CLIC1 binding experiments using microscale thermophoresis approach. Finally, we characterized GSCs from GBMs spontaneously expressing low CLIC1 protein, demonstrating their ability to grow in vivo and to retain stem-like phenotype and functional features in vitro. In these GSCs, Q48 and Q54 displayed reduced potency and efficacy as antiproliferative agents as compared to high CLIC1-expressing tumors. However, in 3D cultures, metformin and Q48 (but not Q54) inhibited proliferation, which was dependent on the inhibition dihydrofolate reductase activity.
Conclusions
These data highlight that, while CLIC1 is dispensable for the development of a subset of glioblastomas, it acts as a booster of proliferation in the majority of these tumors and its functional expression is required for biguanide antitumor class-effects. In particular, the biguanide-based derivatives Q48 and Q54, represent the leads to develop novel compounds endowed with better pharmacological profiles than metformin, to act as CLIC1-blockers for the treatment of CLIC1-expressing glioblastomas, in a precision medicine approach.
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24
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Scionti F, Di Martino MT, Caracciolo D, Pensabene L, Tagliaferri P, Arbitrio M. Tools in Pharmacogenomics Biomarker Identification for Cancer Patients. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2401:1-12. [PMID: 34902118 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1839-4_1] [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: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The understanding of the biological differences which underlie the inter-individual variability in drug response improved the efficacy of cancer therapy in the era of precision medicine. In fact molecularly targeted drugs and immunotherapy represent a revolution in cancer treatment. The identification of genetic predictive and/or prognostic biomarkers linked to drug pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) is allowed by the development of high-throughput omics tools for detecting and understanding biological differences among individuals, in order to improve drug efficacy and minimize risk of toxicity. Personalized medicine in cancer treatment reduces costs of the healthcare system. Unfortunately, pharmacogenomics biomarkers discovery is influenced by complexity, need of high-quality evidence, and a validation process for regulatory purposes. This chapter is focused on the critic analysis of presently available pharmacogenomics tools for discovering or testing genetic polymorphic variants in drug metabolizing enzyme to be introduced in clinical practice for the prospective stratification of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Scionti
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), Messina, Italy
| | | | - Daniele Caracciolo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Licia Pensabene
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Pediatric Unit, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | - Mariamena Arbitrio
- Institute of Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), Catanzaro, Italy.
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25
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Dicitore A, Saronni D, Gaudenzi G, Carra S, Cantone MC, Borghi MO, Persani L, Vitale G. Long-term effects of somatostatin analogues in rat GH-secreting pituitary tumor cell lines. J Endocrinol Invest 2022; 45:29-41. [PMID: 34128215 PMCID: PMC8741688 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-021-01609-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE First-generation somatostatin analogs, octreotide (OCT) and lanreotide, are the cornerstone for the medical treatment of growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary tumors. A new multireceptor analog, such as pasireotide (PAS), showed better activity than OCT in long-term treatment of patients with acromegaly, but modulation of intracellular key processes is still unclear in vitro. In this study, we evaluated the antitumor activity of OCT and PAS in two GH-secreting pituitary tumor cell lines, GH3 and GH4C1, after a long-term incubation. METHODS The effects of PAS and OCT on the cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis, GH secretion, and tumor-induced angiogenesis have been evaluated through a colorimetric method (MTS Assay), DNA flow cytometry with propidium iodide, and Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining, ELISA assay and zebrafish platform, respectively. RESULTS PAS showed a more potent antitumor activity compared to OCT in GH3 cell line exerted through inhibition of cell viability, perturbation of cell cycle progression, and induction of apoptosis after 6 days of incubation. A concomitant decrease in GH secretion has been observed after 2 days of incubation only with PAS. No effect on tumor-induced angiogenesis has been reported after treatment with OCT or PAS in zebrafish/tumor xenograft model. CONCLUSION Long-term incubation with PAS showed a more potent antitumor activity than that reported after OCT in GH3 cells, mainly modulated by a cell cycle perturbation and a relevant induction in apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Dicitore
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Via Zucchi 18, 20095, Cusano Milanino, MI, Italy
| | - D Saronni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - G Gaudenzi
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Via Zucchi 18, 20095, Cusano Milanino, MI, Italy
| | - S Carra
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - M C Cantone
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - M O Borghi
- Experimental Laboratory of Immuno-rheumatology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health (DISCCO), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - L Persani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - G Vitale
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Via Zucchi 18, 20095, Cusano Milanino, MI, Italy.
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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26
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Moret F, Conte C, Esposito D, Dal Poggetto G, Avitabile C, Ungaro F, Tiso N, Romanelli A, Laurienzo P, Reddi E, Quaglia F. Biodegradable nanoparticles combining cancer cell targeting and anti-angiogenic activity for synergistic chemotherapy in epithelial cancer. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2022; 12:2488-2500. [PMID: 34973132 PMCID: PMC9458690 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-021-01090-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A biodegradable engineered nanoplatform combining anti-angiogenic activity and targeting of cancer cells to improve the anticancer activity of docetaxel (DTX) is here proposed. Indeed, we have developed biodegradable nanoparticles (NPs) of poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone), exposing on the surface both folate motifs (Fol) for recognition in cells overexpressing Folate receptor-α (FRα) and the anti-angiogenic hexapeptide aFLT1. NPs showed a size around 100 nm, the exposure of 60% of Fol moieties on the surface, and the ability to entrap DTX and sustain its release with time. NPs were stable in simulated biological fluids and slightly interacted with Fetal Bovine serum, especially in the formulation decorated with Fol and aFLT1. The presence of Fol on NPs did not impair the anti-angiogenic activity of aFLT1, as assessed by in vitro tube formation assay in HUVEC endothelial cells. In both 2D and 3D KB cell cultures in vitro, the cytotoxicity of DTX loaded in NPs was not significantly affected by Fol/aFLT1 double decoration compared to free DTX. Remarkably, NPs distributed differently in 3D multicellular spheroids of FRα-positive KB cancer cells depending on the type of ligand displayed on the surface. In particular, NPs unmodified on the surface were randomly distributed in the spheroid, whereas the presence of Fol promoted the accumulation in the outer rims of the spheroid. Finally, NPs with Fol and aFLT1 gave a uniform distribution throughout the spheroid structure. When tested in zebrafish embryos xenografted with KB cells, NPs displaying Fol/aFLT1 reduced DTX systemic toxicity and inhibited the growth of the tumor mass and associated vasculature synergistically. Overall, nanotechnology offers excellent ground for combining therapeutic concepts in cancer, paving the way to novel multifunctional nanopharmaceuticals decorated with bioactive elements that can significantly improve therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Moret
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, 35121, Italy
| | - Claudia Conte
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli, 80131, Italy
| | - Diletta Esposito
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli, 80131, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesca Ungaro
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli, 80131, Italy
| | - Natascia Tiso
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, 35121, Italy
| | - Alessandra Romanelli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Milano, 20133, Italy
| | - Paola Laurienzo
- Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, CNR, Pozzuoli, 80078, Italy
| | - Elena Reddi
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, 35121, Italy.
| | - Fabiana Quaglia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli, 80131, Italy. .,Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, CNR, Pozzuoli, 80078, Italy.
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27
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Herring B, Jang S, Whitt J, Goliwas K, Aburjania Z, Dudeja V, Ren B, Berry J, Bibb J, Frost A, Chen H, Rose JB, Jaskula-Sztul R. Ex Vivo Modeling of Human Neuroendocrine Tumors in Tissue Surrogates. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:710009. [PMID: 35002949 PMCID: PMC8734644 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.710009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Few models exist for studying neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), and there are mounting concerns that the currently available array of cell lines is not representative of NET biology. The lack of stable patient-derived NET xenograft models further limits the scientific community's ability to make conclusions about NETs and their response to therapy in patients. To address these limitations, we propose the use of an ex vivo 3D flow-perfusion bioreactor system for culturing and studying patient-derived NET surrogates. Herein, we demonstrate the utility of the bioreactor system for culturing NET surrogates and provide methods for evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic agents on human NET cell line xenograft constructs and patient-derived NET surrogates. We also demonstrate that patient-derived NET tissues can be propagated using the bioreactor system and investigate the near-infrared (NIR) dye IR-783 for its use in monitoring their status within the bioreactor. The results indicate that the bioreactor system and similar 3D culture models may be valuable tools for culturing patient-derived NETs and monitoring their response to therapy ex vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendon Herring
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Samuel Jang
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jason Whitt
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Kayla Goliwas
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Zviadi Aburjania
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Vikas Dudeja
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Bin Ren
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Joel Berry
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - James Bibb
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Andra Frost
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Herbert Chen
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - John Bart Rose
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Renata Jaskula-Sztul
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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28
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Vella V, Giuliano M, La Ferlita A, Pellegrino M, Gaudenzi G, Alaimo S, Massimino M, Pulvirenti A, Dicitore A, Vigneri P, Vitale G, Malaguarnera R, Morrione A, Sims AH, Ferro A, Maggiolini M, Lappano R, De Francesco EM, Belfiore A. Novel Mechanisms of Tumor Promotion by the Insulin Receptor Isoform A in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Cells 2021; 10:3145. [PMID: 34831367 PMCID: PMC8621444 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The insulin receptor isoform A (IR-A) plays an increasingly recognized role in fetal growth and tumor biology in response to circulating insulin and/or locally produced IGF2. This role seems not to be shared by the IR isoform B (IR-B). We aimed to dissect the specific impact of IR isoforms in modulating insulin signaling in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. We generated murine 4T1 TNBC cells deleted from the endogenous insulin receptor (INSR) gene and expressing comparable levels of either human IR-A or IR-B. We then measured IR isoform-specific in vitro and in vivo biological effects and transcriptome in response to insulin. Overall, the IR-A was more potent than the IR-B in mediating cell migration, invasion, and in vivo tumor growth. Transcriptome analysis showed that approximately 89% of insulin-stimulated transcripts depended solely on the expression of the specific isoform. Notably, in cells overexpressing IR-A, insulin strongly induced genes involved in tumor progression and immune evasion including chemokines and genes related to innate immunity. Conversely, in IR-B overexpressing cells, insulin predominantly induced the expression of genes primarily involved in the regulation of metabolic pathways and, to a lesser extent, tumor growth and angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Vella
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy; (V.V.); (M.G.); (E.M.D.F.)
| | - Marika Giuliano
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy; (V.V.); (M.G.); (E.M.D.F.)
| | - Alessandro La Ferlita
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95131 Catania, Italy; (A.L.F.); (S.A.); (A.P.); (A.F.)
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Michele Pellegrino
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Germano Gaudenzi
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, 20095 Cusano Milanino, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.); (G.V.)
| | - Salvatore Alaimo
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95131 Catania, Italy; (A.L.F.); (S.A.); (A.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Michele Massimino
- Oncology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (M.M.); (P.V.)
| | - Alfredo Pulvirenti
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95131 Catania, Italy; (A.L.F.); (S.A.); (A.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Alessandra Dicitore
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, 20095 Cusano Milanino, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.); (G.V.)
| | - Paolo Vigneri
- Oncology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (M.M.); (P.V.)
| | - Giovanni Vitale
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, 20095 Cusano Milanino, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.); (G.V.)
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Morrione
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine and Center for Biotechnology, Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA;
| | - Andrew H. Sims
- MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Scotland EH4 2XR, UK;
| | - Alfredo Ferro
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95131 Catania, Italy; (A.L.F.); (S.A.); (A.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Marcello Maggiolini
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Rosamaria Lappano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Ernestina Marianna De Francesco
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy; (V.V.); (M.G.); (E.M.D.F.)
| | - Antonino Belfiore
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy; (V.V.); (M.G.); (E.M.D.F.)
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29
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Pastorino L, Grillo F, Albertelli M, Ghiorzo P, Bruno W. Insights into Mechanisms of Tumorigenesis in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910328. [PMID: 34638668 PMCID: PMC8508699 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic studies have identified some of the most relevant genetic players in Neuroendocrine Neoplasm (NEN) tumorigenesis. However, we are still far from being able to draw a model that encompasses their heterogeneity, elucidates the different biological effects consequent to the identified molecular events, or incorporates extensive knowledge of molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Here, we reviewed recent insights in NEN tumorigenesis from selected basic research studies on animal models, highlighting novel players in the intergenic cooperation and peculiar mechanisms including splicing dysregulation, chromatin stability, or cell dedifferentiation. Furthermore, models of tumorigenesis based on composite interactions other than a linear progression of events are proposed, exemplified by the involvement in NEN tumorigenesis of genes regulating complex functions, such as MEN1 or DAXX. Although limited by interspecies differences, animal models have proved helpful for the more in-depth study of every facet of tumorigenesis, showing that the identification of driver mutations is only one of the many necessary steps and that other mechanisms are worth investigating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenza Pastorino
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (L.P.); (P.G.)
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DiMI), University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
| | - Federica Grillo
- Anatomic Pathology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
- Anatomic Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostics (DISC), University of Genoa, 1632 Genoa, Italy
| | - Manuela Albertelli
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DiMI), University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
- Endocrinology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Paola Ghiorzo
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (L.P.); (P.G.)
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DiMI), University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
| | - William Bruno
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (L.P.); (P.G.)
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DiMI), University of Genoa, V.le Benedetto XV 6, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-(01)-0555-7254
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Vitale G, Faggiano A. Foreword to the special issue on advances in neuroendocrine neoplasms. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2021; 22:493-494. [PMID: 33712996 PMCID: PMC8346383 DOI: 10.1007/s11154-021-09639-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Vitale
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Cusano Milanino (MI), Milan, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Antongiulio Faggiano
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Barrea L, Muscogiuri G, Pugliese G, Modica R, Laudisio D, Aprano S, Faggiano A, Colao A, Savastano S. Chronotype: what role in the context of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors? J Transl Med 2021; 19:324. [PMID: 34330303 PMCID: PMC8325322 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-03010-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronotype is defined as a trait determining the subject circadian preference in behavioral and biological rhythms relative to external light-dark cycle. Although individual differences in chronotype have been associated with an increased risk of developing some types of cancer, no studies have been carried out in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NET). MATERIALS We investigate the differences in chronotype between 109 GEP-NET and 109 healthy subjects, gender-, age-, and BMI-matched; and its correlation with tumor aggressiveness. RESULTS GEP-NET patients have a lower chronotype score (p = 0.035) and a higher percentage of evening chronotype (p = 0.003) than controls. GEP-NET patients with morning chronotype had lower BMI, waist circumference, and higher percentage of MetS (p < 0.001) than evening type. Interestingly, considering the clinical pathological characteristics, patients with the presence of metastasis, grading G2, and in progressive disease presented the lower chronotype score (p = 0.004, p < 0.001, and p = 0.002; respectively) compared to other categories. Chronotype score was negatively associated with anthropometric measurements, metabolic profile, percentage of MetS, and Ki67 index (p < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSIONS GEP-NET patients have an unhealthy metabolic profile and present more commonly an evening chronotype. These results support the importance of including the assessment of chronotype in an adjunctive tool for the prevention of metabolic alterations and tumor aggressiveness of GEP-NET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Barrea
- Dipartimento di Scienze Umanistiche, Università Telematica Pegaso, Via Porzio, Centro Direzionale, isola F2, 80143, Naples, Italy.
- Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Endocrinology Unit, University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Muscogiuri
- Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Endocrinology Unit, University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Cattedra Unesco "Educazione alla salute e allo sviluppo sostenibile", University Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Gabriella Pugliese
- Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Endocrinology Unit, University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Modica
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Laudisio
- Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Endocrinology Unit, University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Sara Aprano
- Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Endocrinology Unit, University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Antongiulio Faggiano
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 00189, Rome, Italy
| | - Annamaria Colao
- Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Endocrinology Unit, University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Cattedra Unesco "Educazione alla salute e allo sviluppo sostenibile", University Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Silvia Savastano
- Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Endocrinology Unit, University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
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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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Somasagara RR, Huang X, Xu C, Haider J, Serody JS, Armistead PM, Leung T. Targeted therapy of human leukemia xenografts in immunodeficient zebrafish. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5715. [PMID: 33707624 PMCID: PMC7952715 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85141-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Personalized medicine holds tremendous promise for improving safety and efficacy of drug therapies by optimizing treatment regimens. Rapidly developed patient-derived xenografts (pdx) could be a helpful tool for analyzing the effect of drugs against an individual's tumor by growing the tumor in an immunodeficient animal. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice enable efficient in vivo expansion of vital tumor cells and generation of personalized xenografts. However, they are not amenable to large-scale rapid screening, which is critical in identifying new compounds from large compound libraries. The development of a zebrafish model suitable for pdx could facilitate large-scale screening of drugs targeted against specific malignancies. Here, we describe a novel strategy for establishing a zebrafish model for drug testing in leukemia xenografts. We used chronic myelogenous leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia for xenotransplantation into SCID zebrafish to evaluate drug screening protocols. We showed the in vivo efficacy of the ABL inhibitor imatinib, MEK inhibitor U0126, cytarabine, azacitidine and arsenic trioxide. We performed corresponding in vitro studies, demonstrating that combination of MEK- and FLT3-inhibitors exhibit an enhanced effect in vitro. We further evaluated the feasibility of zebrafish for transplantation of primary human hematopoietic cells that can survive at 15 day-post-fertilization. Our results provide critical insights to guide development of high-throughput platforms for evaluating leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranganatha R Somasagara
- The Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Huang
- The Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA
| | - Chunyu Xu
- The Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA
| | - Jamil Haider
- The Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA
| | - Jonathan S Serody
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Paul M Armistead
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - TinChung Leung
- The Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA. .,Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, 27707, USA.
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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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Dicitore A, Cantone MC, Gaudenzi G, Saronni D, Carra S, Borghi MO, Albertelli M, Ferone D, Hofland LJ, Persani L, Vitale G. Efficacy of a Novel Second-Generation Somatostatin-Dopamine Chimera (TBR-065) in Human Medullary Thyroid Cancer: A Preclinical Study. Neuroendocrinology 2021; 111:937-950. [PMID: 33075795 DOI: 10.1159/000512366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Somatostatin and dopamine (DA) receptors have a pivotal role in controlling hormone secretion and cell proliferation in different neuroendocrine neoplasms, including medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). In the present preclinical study, we evaluated the anti-tumor activity of TBR-065 (formerly BIM-23B065), a second-generation somatostatin-DA chimera, in 2 human MTC cell lines. METHODS The effects of lanreotide (LAN) and TBR-065 on cell growth and proliferation, calcitonin (CT) secretion, cell cycle, apoptosis, cell migration, and tumor-induced angiogenesis have been evaluated through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, DNA flow cytometry with propidium iodide (PI), Annexin V-FITC/PI staining, electrochemiluminescence immuno assay, wound-healing assay, and zebrafish platform, respectively. RESULTS TBR-065 exerted a more prominent anti-tumor activity than LAN in both MTC cell lines, as shown by inhibition of cell proliferation (maximal inhibition in TT: -50.3 and -37.6%, respectively; in MZ-CRC-1: -58.8 and -27%, respectively) and migration (in TT: -42.7 and -22.9%, respectively; in MZ-CRC-1: -75.5 and -58.2%, respectively). Only the new chimera decreased significantly the fraction of cells in S phase (TT: -33.8%; MZ-CRC-1: -18.8%) and increased cells in G2/M phase (TT: +13%; MZ-CRC-1: +30.5%). In addition, TBR-065 exerted a more prominent pro-apoptotic effect than LAN in TT cells. A concomitant decrease in CT secretion was observed after 2 days of incubation with both drugs, with a more relevant effect of TBR-065. However, neither LAN nor TBR-065 showed any effect on tumor-induced angiogenesis, as evaluated using a zebrafish/tumor xenograft model. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION In MTC cell lines, a second-generation somatostatin-DA analog, TBR-065, exerts a more relevant anti-tumor activity than LAN, through modulation of cell cycle, induction of apoptosis, and reduction in migration. Further studies are required to establish whether TBR-065 has comparable potent inhibitory effects on tumor growth in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Dicitore
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health (DISCCO), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Celeste Cantone
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Germano Gaudenzi
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Cusano Milanino, Italy
| | - Davide Saronni
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Carra
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Orietta Borghi
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health (DISCCO), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Experimental Laboratory of Immuno-Rheumatology, Cusano Milanino, Italy
| | - Manuela Albertelli
- Endocrinology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI) and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Diego Ferone
- Endocrinology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI) and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Leo J Hofland
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Luca Persani
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Vitale
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, Milan, Italy,
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Cusano Milanino, Italy,
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Targen S, Kaya T, Avci ME, Gunes D, Keskus AG, Konu O. ZenoFishDb v1.1: A Database for Xenotransplantation Studies in Zebrafish. Zebrafish 2020; 17:305-318. [PMID: 32931381 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2020.1869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapidly accumulating literature has proven feasibility of the zebrafish xenograft models in cancer research. Nevertheless, online databases for searching the current zebrafish xenograft literature are in great demand. Herein, we have developed a manually curated database, called ZenoFishDb v1.1 (https://konulab.shinyapps.io/zenofishdb), based on R Shiny platform aiming to provide searchable information on ever increasing collection of zebrafish studies for cancer cell line transplantation and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). ZenoFishDb v1.1 user interface contains four modules: DataTable, Visualization, PDX Details, and PDX Charts. The DataTable and Visualization pages represent xenograft study details, including injected cell lines, PDX injections, molecular modifications of cell lines, zebrafish strains, as well as technical aspects of the xenotransplantation procedures in table, bar, and/or pie chart formats. The PDX Details module provides comprehensive information on the patient details in table format and can be searched and visualized. Overall, ZenoFishDb v1.1 enables researchers to effectively search, list, and visualize different technical and biological attributes of zebrafish xenotransplantation studies particularly focusing on the new trends that make use of reporters, RNA interference, overexpression, or mutant gene constructs of transplanted cancer cells, stem cells, and PDXs, as well as distinguished host modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seniye Targen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tuğberk Kaya
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.,Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - M Ender Avci
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Damla Gunes
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ayse Gokce Keskus
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ozlen Konu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.,UNAM-Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
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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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Abstract
Metastasis, the dispersal of cancer cells from a primary tumor to secondary sites within the body, is the leading cause of cancer-related death. Animal models have been an indispensable tool to investigate the complex interactions between the cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment during the metastatic cascade. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a powerful vertebrate model for studying metastatic events in vivo. The zebrafish has many attributes including ex-utero development, which facilitates embryonic manipulation, as well as optically transparent tissues, which enables in vivo imaging of fluorescently labeled cells in real time. Here, we summarize the techniques which have been used to study cancer biology and metastasis in the zebrafish model organism, including genetic manipulation and transgenesis, cell transplantation, live imaging, and high-throughput compound screening. Finally, we discuss studies using the zebrafish, which have complemented and benefited metastasis research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katy R Astell
- The Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
| | - Dirk Sieger
- The Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
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Kocere A, Resseguier J, Wohlmann J, Skjeldal FM, Khan S, Speth M, Dal NJK, Ng MYW, Alonso-Rodriguez N, Scarpa E, Rizzello L, Battaglia G, Griffiths G, Fenaroli F. Real-time imaging of polymersome nanoparticles in zebrafish embryos engrafted with melanoma cancer cells: Localization, toxicity and treatment analysis. EBioMedicine 2020; 58:102902. [PMID: 32707448 PMCID: PMC7381511 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.102902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The developing zebrafish is an emerging tool in nanomedicine, allowing non-invasive live imaging of the whole animal at higher resolution than is possible in the more commonly used mouse models. In addition, several transgenic fish lines are available endowed with selected cell types expressing fluorescent proteins; this allows nanoparticles to be visualized together with host cells. METHODS Here, we introduce the zebrafish neural tube as a robust injection site for cancer cells, excellently suited for high resolution imaging. We use light and electron microscopy to evaluate cancer growth and to follow the fate of intravenously injected nanoparticles. FINDINGS Fluorescently labelled mouse melanoma B16 cells, when injected into this structure proliferated rapidly and stimulated angiogenesis of new vessels. In addition, macrophages, but not neutrophils, selectively accumulated in the tumour region. When injected intravenously, nanoparticles made of Cy5-labelled poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(2-(diisopropyl amino) ethyl methacrylate) (PEG-PDPA) selectively accumulated in the neural tube cancer region and were seen in individual cancer cells and tumour associated macrophages. Moreover, when doxorubicin was released from PEG-PDPA, in a pH dependant manner, these nanoparticles could strongly reduce toxicity and improve the treatment outcome compared to the free drug in zebrafish xenotransplanted with mouse melanoma B16 or human derived melanoma cells. INTERPRETATION The zebrafish has the potential of becoming an important intermediate step, before the mouse model, for testing nanomedicines against patient-derived cancer cells. FUNDING We received funding from the Norwegian research council and the Norwegian cancer society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Kocere
- University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences, Blindernveien 31, 0371 Oslo, Norway
| | - Julien Resseguier
- University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences, Blindernveien 31, 0371 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jens Wohlmann
- University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences, Blindernveien 31, 0371 Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Shanawaz Khan
- University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences, Blindernveien 31, 0371 Oslo, Norway
| | - Martin Speth
- University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences, Blindernveien 31, 0371 Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | | | - Edoardo Scarpa
- University College London, Department of Chemistry, 20 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AJ London, United Kingdom
| | - Loris Rizzello
- University of Milan, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan (Italy); Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)
| | - Giuseppe Battaglia
- University College London, Department of Chemistry, 20 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AJ London, United Kingdom; Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, London, United Kingdom; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Passeig Lluís Companys 2308010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gareth Griffiths
- University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences, Blindernveien 31, 0371 Oslo, Norway
| | - Federico Fenaroli
- University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences, Blindernveien 31, 0371 Oslo, Norway.
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Gauert A, Olk N, Pimentel-Gutiérrez H, Astrahantseff K, Jensen LD, Cao Y, Eggert A, Eckert C, Hagemann AI. Fast, In Vivo Model for Drug-Response Prediction in Patients with B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12071883. [PMID: 32668722 PMCID: PMC7408814 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Only half of patients with relapsed B-cell precursor (BCP) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) currently survive with standard treatment protocols. Predicting individual patient responses to defined drugs prior to application would help therapy stratification and could improve survival. With the purpose to aid personalized targeted treatment approaches, we developed a human–zebrafish xenograft (ALL-ZeFiX) assay to predict drug response in a patient in 5 days. Leukemia blast cells were pericardially engrafted into transiently immunosuppressed Danio rerio embryos, and engrafted embryos treated for the test case, venetoclax, before single-cell dissolution for quantitative whole blast cell analysis. Bone marrow blasts from patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed BCP-ALL were successfully expanded in 60% of transplants in immunosuppressed zebrafish embryos. The response of BCP-ALL cell lines to venetoclax in ALL-ZeFiX assays mirrored responses in 2D cultures. Venetoclax produced varied responses in patient-derived BCP-ALL grafts, including two results mirroring treatment responses in two refractory BCP-ALL patients treated with venetoclax. Here we demonstrate proof-of-concept for our 5-day ALL-ZeFiX assay with primary patient blasts and the test case, venetoclax, which after expanded testing for further targeted drugs could support personalized treatment decisions within the clinical time window for decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Gauert
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
| | - Nadine Olk
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
| | - Helia Pimentel-Gutiérrez
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)—German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kathy Astrahantseff
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
| | - Lasse D. Jensen
- Department of Health, Medical and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden;
| | - Yihai Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Angelika Eggert
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)—German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cornelia Eckert
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)—German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anja I.H. Hagemann
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
- Correspondence:
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Modeling oncolytic virus dynamics in the tumor microenvironment using zebrafish. Cancer Gene Ther 2020; 28:769-784. [PMID: 32647136 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-020-0194-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We have adapted a zebrafish (Danio rerio) tumor xenograft model for use in the study of oncolytic virotherapy. Following implantation of mammalian cancer cells into the perivitelline space of developing zebrafish embryos, both local and intravenous oncolytic virus treatments produce a tumor-specific infection with measurable antitumor effects. Tumor cells are injected at 48 h post fertilization, with oncolytic virus treatment then being administered 24 h later to allow for an initial period of tumor development and angiogenesis. Confocal fluorescent imaging is used to quantify dynamics within the tumor environment. The natural translucency of zebrafish at the embryo stage, coupled with the availability of strains with fluorescent immune and endothelial cell reporter lines, gives the model broad potential to allow for real time, in vivo investigation of important events within tumors throughout the course of virotherapy. Zebrafish xenografts offer a system with biologic fidelity to processes in human cancer development that influence oncolytic virus efficacy, and to our knowledge this is the first demonstration of the model's use in the context of virotherapy. Compared with other models, our protocol offers a powerful, inexpensive approach to evaluating novel oncolytic viruses and oncolytic virus-based combination therapies, with potential application to investigating the impacts of virotherapy on immune response, tumor vasculature, and metastatic disease.
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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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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The availability of organs for transplant fails to meet the demand and this shortage is growing worse every year. As the cost of not getting a suitable donor organ can mean death for patients, new tools and approaches that allows us to make advances in transplantation faster and provide a different vantage point are required. To address this need, we introduce the concept of using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a new model system in organ transplantation. The zebrafish community offers decades of research experience in disease modeling and a rich toolbox of approaches for interrogating complex pathological states. We provide examples of how already existing zebrafish assays/tools from cancer, regenerative medicine, immunology, and others, could be leveraged to fuel new discoveries in pursuit of solving the organ shortage. RECENT FINDINGS Important innovations have enabled several types of transplants to be successfully performed in zebrafish, including stem cells, tumors, parenchymal cells, and even a partial heart transplant. These innovations have been performed against a backdrop of an expansive and impressive list of tools designed to uncover the biology of complex systems that include a wide array of fluorescent transgenic fish that label specific cell types and mutant lines that are transparent, immune-deficient. Allogeneic transplants can also be accomplished using immune suppressed and syngeneic fish. Each of these innovations within the zebrafish community would provide several helpful tools that could be applied to transplant research. SUMMARY We highlight some examples of existing tools and assays developed in the zebrafish community that could be leveraged to overcome barriers in organ transplantation, including ischemia-reperfusion, short preservation durations, regeneration of marginal grafts, and acute and chronic rejection.
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Xiao J, Glasgow E, Agarwal S. Zebrafish Xenografts for Drug Discovery and Personalized Medicine. Trends Cancer 2020; 6:569-579. [PMID: 32312681 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world. Given that cancer is a highly individualized disease, predicting the best chemotherapeutic treatment for individual patients can be difficult. Ex vivo models such as mouse patient-derived xenografts (PDX) and organoids are being developed to predict patient-specific chemosensitivity profiles before treatment in the clinic. Although promising, these models have significant disadvantages including long growth times that introduce genetic and epigenetic changes to the tumor. The zebrafish xenograft assay is ideal for personalized medicine. Imaging of the small, transparent fry is unparalleled among vertebrate organisms. In addition, the speed (5-7 days) and small patient tissue requirements (100-200 cells per animal) are unique features of the zebrafish xenograft model that enable patient-specific chemosensitivity analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry Xiao
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Eric Glasgow
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
| | - Seema Agarwal
- Department of Pathology, Center for Cell Reprogramming, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
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Würth R, Thellung S, Corsaro A, Barbieri F, Florio T. Experimental Evidence and Clinical Implications of Pituitary Adenoma Stem Cells. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:54. [PMID: 32153500 PMCID: PMC7044184 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pituitary adenomas, accounting for 15% of diagnosed intracranial neoplasms, are usually benign and pharmacologically and surgically treatable; however, the critical location, mass effects and hormone hypersecretion sustain their significant morbidity. Approximately 35% of pituitary tumors show a less benign course since they are highly proliferative and invasive, poorly resectable, and likely recurring. The latest WHO classification of pituitary tumors includes pituitary transcription factor assessment to determine adenohypophysis cell lineages and accurate designation of adenomas, nevertheless little is known about molecular and cellular pathways which contribute to pituitary tumorigenesis. In malignant tumors the identification of cancer stem cells radically changed the concepts of both tumorigenesis and pharmacological approaches. Cancer stem cells are defined as a subset of undifferentiated transformed cells from which the bulk of cancer cells populating a tumor mass is generated. These cells are able to self-renew, promoting tumor progression and recurrence of malignant tumors, also conferring cytotoxic drug resistance. On the other hand, the existence of stem cells within benign tumors is still debated. The presence of adult stem cells in human and murine pituitaries where they sustain the high plasticity of hormone-producing cells, allowed the hypothesis that putative tumor stem cells might exist in pituitary adenomas, reinforcing the concept that the cancer stem cell model could also be applied to pituitary tumorigenesis. In the last few years, the isolation and phenotypic characterization of putative pituitary adenoma stem-like cells was performed using a wide and heterogeneous variety of experimental models and techniques, although the role of these cells in adenoma initiation and progression is still not completely definite. The assessment of possible pituitary adenoma-initiating cell population would be of extreme relevance to better understand pituitary tumor biology and to identify novel potential diagnostic markers and pharmacological targets. In this review, we summarize the most updated studies focused on the definition of pituitary adenoma stem cell phenotype and functional features, highlighting the biological processes and intracellular pathways potentially involved in driving tumor growth, relapse, and therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Würth
- Section of Pharmacology, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna and Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Stefano Thellung
- Section of Pharmacology, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna and Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Corsaro
- Section of Pharmacology, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna and Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federica Barbieri
- Section of Pharmacology, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna and Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Tullio Florio
- Section of Pharmacology, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna and Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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Zebrafish Avatars towards Personalized Medicine-A Comparative Review between Avatar Models. Cells 2020; 9:cells9020293. [PMID: 31991800 PMCID: PMC7072137 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer frequency and prevalence have been increasing in the past decades, with devastating impacts on patients and their families. Despite the great advances in targeted approaches, there is still a lack of methods to predict individual patient responses, and therefore treatments are tailored according to average response rates. “Omics” approaches are used for patient stratification and choice of therapeutic options towards a more precise medicine. These methods, however, do not consider all genetic and non-genetic dynamic interactions that occur upon drug treatment. Therefore, the need to directly challenge patient cells in a personalized manner remains. The present review addresses the state of the art of patient-derived in vitro and in vivo models, from organoids to mouse and zebrafish Avatars. The predictive power of each model based on the retrospective correlation with the patient clinical outcome will be considered. Finally, the review is focused on the emerging zebrafish Avatars and their unique characteristics allowing a fast analysis of local and systemic effects of drug treatments at the single-cell level. We also address the technical challenges that the field has yet to overcome.
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La transplantation de cellules tumorales chez le poisson zèbre : de la recherche translationnelle à la médecine personnalisée. Bull Cancer 2020; 107:30-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bulcan.2019.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Yao Y, Wang L, Wang X. Modeling of Solid-Tumor Microenvironment in Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Larvae. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1219:413-428. [PMID: 32130712 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-34025-4_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The zebrafish larvae have emerged as a powerful model for studying tumorigenesis in vivo, with remarkable conservation with mammals in genetics, molecular and cell biology. Zebrafish tumor models bear the significant advantages of optical clarity in comparison to that in the mammalian models, allowing noninvasive investigation of the tumor cell and its microenvironment at single-cell resolution. Here we review recent progressions in the field of zebrafish models of solid tumor diseases in two main categories: the genetically engineered tumor models in which all cells in the tumor microenvironment are zebrafish cells, and xenograft tumor models in which the tumor microenvironment is composed of zebrafish cells and cells from other species. Notably, the zebrafish patient-derived xenograft (zPDX) models can be used for personalized drug assessment on primary tumor biopsies, including the pancreatic cancer. For the future studies, a series of high throughput drug screenings on the library of transgenic zebrafish models of solid tumor are expected to provide systematic database of oncogenic mutation, cell-of-origin, and leading compounds; and the humanization of zebrafish in genetics and cellular composition will make it more practical hosts for zPDX modeling. Together, zebrafish tumor model systems are unique and convenient in vivo platforms, with great potential to serve as valuable tools for cancer researches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiao Yao
- Cancer Metabolism Laboratory, Cancer Institute, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Cancer Metabolism Laboratory, Cancer Institute, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Cancer Metabolism Laboratory, Cancer Institute, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms and inflammation: A complex cross-talk with relevant clinical implications. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2019; 146:102840. [PMID: 31918344 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2019.102840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are a group of tumors originating from the neuroendocrine system. They mainly occur in the digestive system and the respiratory tract. It is well-know a strict interaction between neuroendocrine system and inflammation, which can play an important role in NEN carcinogenesis. Inflammatory mediators, which are produced by the tumor microenvironment, can favor cancer induction and progression, and can promote immune editing. On the other hand, a balanced immune system represents a relevant step in cancer prevention through the elimination of dysplastic and cancer cells. Therefore, an inflammatory response may be both pro- and anti-tumorigenic. In this review, we provide an overview concerning the complex interplay between inflammation and gastroenteropancreatic NENs, focusing on the tumorigenesis and clinical implications in these tumors.
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Zappavigna S, Abate M, Cossu AM, Lusa S, Campani V, Scotti L, Luce A, Yousif AM, Merlino F, Grieco P, De Rosa G, Caraglia M. Urotensin-II-Targeted Liposomes as a New Drug Delivery System towards Prostate and Colon Cancer Cells. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2019; 2019:9293560. [PMID: 31929800 PMCID: PMC6942863 DOI: 10.1155/2019/9293560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Urotensin-II (UT-II) and its receptor (UTR) are involved in the occurrence of different epithelial cancers. In particular, UTR was found overexpressed on colon, bladder, and prostate cancer cells. The conjugation of ligands, able to specifically bind receptors that are overexpressed on cancer cells, to liposome surface represents an efficient active targeting strategy to enhance selectivity and efficiency of drug delivery systems. The aim of this study was to develop liposomes conjugated with UT-II (LipoUT) for efficient targeting of cancer cells that overexpress UTR. The liposomes had a mean diameter between 150 nm and 160 nm with a narrow size distribution (PI ≤ 0.1) and a doxo encapsulation efficiency of 96%. Moreover, the conjugation of UT-II to liposomes weakly reduced the zeta potential. We evaluated UTR expression on prostate (DU145, PC3, and LNCaP) and colon (WIDR and LoVo) cancer cells by FACS and western blotting analysis. UTR protein was expressed in all the tested cell lines; the level of expression was higher in WIDR, PC3, and LNCaP cells compared with LoVo and DU145. MTT cell viability assay showed that LipoUT-doxo was more active than Lipo-doxo on the growth inhibition of cells that overexpressed UTR (PC3, LNCaP, and WIDR) while in LoVo and DU145 cell lines, the activity was similar to or lower than that one of Lipo-doxo, respectively. Moreover, we found that cell uptake of Bodipy-labeled liposomes in PC3 and DU145 was higher for LipoUT than the not-armed counterparts but at higher extent in UTR overexpressing PC3 cells (about 2-fold higher), as evaluated by both confocal and FACS. In conclusion, the encapsulation of doxo in UT-II-targeted liposomes potentiated its delivery in UTR-overexpressing cells and could represent a new tool for the targeting of prostate and colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Zappavigna
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, Via L. de Crecchio, 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Marianna Abate
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, Via L. de Crecchio, 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Alessia Maria Cossu
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, Via L. de Crecchio, 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
- Biogem Scarl, Institute of Genetic Research, Laboratory of Molecular and Precision Oncology, 83031 Ariano Irpino, Italy
| | - Sara Lusa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via D. Montesano, 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Virginia Campani
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via D. Montesano, 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Lorena Scotti
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via D. Montesano, 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Amalia Luce
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, Via L. de Crecchio, 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Ali Munaim Yousif
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via D. Montesano, 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via D. Montesano, 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via D. Montesano, 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe De Rosa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via D. Montesano, 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Michele Caraglia
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, Via L. de Crecchio, 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
- Biogem Scarl, Institute of Genetic Research, Laboratory of Molecular and Precision Oncology, 83031 Ariano Irpino, Italy
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