1
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Falconi J, Strobel K, Djiane A, Lassus P. [Drosophila as a model to study cancer biology]. Bull Cancer 2024:S0007-4551(24)00216-9. [PMID: 38960821 DOI: 10.1016/j.bulcan.2024.05.005] [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: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The rising global incidence of cancer makes it the second leading cause of death worldwide. Over the past decades, significant progress has been made in both basic knowledge and the discovery of new therapeutic approaches. However, the complexity of mechanisms related to tumor development requires the use of sophisticated and adapted research tools. Among these, the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster represents a powerful genetic model with numerous practical and conceptual advantages. Indeed, the conservation of genes implicated in cancer between this insect and mammals places Drosophila as a crucial genetic tool for understanding the fundamental mechanisms governing tumorigenesis and identifying new therapeutic targets. This review aims to describe this original model and demonstrate its relevance for studying cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Falconi
- IRCM, Inserm, ICM, université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Katrin Strobel
- IRCM, Inserm, ICM, université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Alexandre Djiane
- IRCM, Inserm, ICM, université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Patrice Lassus
- IRCM, Inserm U1194, ICM, CNRS, université de Montpellier, 208, rue des Apothicaires, 34298 Montpellier cedex, France.
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2
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Diaz JEL, Barcessat V, Bahamon C, Hecht C, Das TK, Cagan RL. Functional exploration of copy number alterations in a Drosophila model of triple-negative breast cancer. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050191. [PMID: 38721669 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Accounting for 10-20% of breast cancer cases, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with a disproportionate number of breast cancer deaths. One challenge in studying TNBC is its genomic profile: with the exception of TP53 loss, most breast cancer tumors are characterized by a high number of copy number alterations (CNAs), making modeling the disease in whole animals challenging. We computationally analyzed 186 CNA regions previously identified in breast cancer tumors to rank genes within each region by likelihood of acting as a tumor driver. We then used a Drosophila p53-Myc TNBC model to identify 48 genes as functional drivers. To demonstrate the utility of this functional database, we established six 3-hit models; altering candidate genes led to increased aspects of transformation as well as resistance to the chemotherapeutic drug fluorouracil. Our work provides a functional database of CNA-associated TNBC drivers, and a template for an integrated computational/whole-animal approach to identify functional drivers of transformation and drug resistance within CNAs in other tumor types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E L Diaz
- Department of Cell, Development, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Internal Medicine, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, CA 90095, USA
| | - Vanessa Barcessat
- Department of Cell, Development, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Christian Bahamon
- Department of Cell, Development, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Chana Hecht
- Department of Cell, Development, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Tirtha K Das
- Department of Cell, Development, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ross L Cagan
- Department of Cell, Development, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- School of Cancer Sciences and Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
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3
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Vialat M, Baabdaty E, Trousson A, Kocer A, Lobaccaro JMA, Baron S, Morel L, de Joussineau C. Cholesterol Dietary Intake and Tumor Cell Homeostasis Drive Early Epithelial Tumorigenesis: A Potential Modelization of Early Prostate Tumorigenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2153. [PMID: 38893271 PMCID: PMC11172085 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16112153] [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: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies point to cholesterol as a possible key factor for both prostate cancer incidence and progression. It could represent a targetable metabolite as the most aggressive tumors also appear to be sensitive to therapies designed to decrease hypercholesterolemia, such as statins. However, it remains unknown whether and how cholesterol, through its dietary uptake and its metabolism, could be important for early tumorigenesis. Oncogene clonal induction in the Drosophila melanogaster accessory gland allows us to reproduce tumorigenesis from initiation to early progression, where tumor cells undergo basal extrusion to form extra-epithelial tumors. Here we show that these tumors accumulate lipids, and especially esterified cholesterol, as in human late carcinogenesis. Interestingly, a high-cholesterol diet has a limited effect on accessory gland tumorigenesis. On the contrary, cell-specific downregulation of cholesterol uptake, intracellular transport, or metabolic response impairs the formation of such tumors. Furthermore, in this context, a high-cholesterol diet suppresses this impairment. Interestingly, expression data from primary prostate cancer tissues indicate an early signature of redirection from cholesterol de novo synthesis to uptake. Taken together, these results reveal that during early tumorigenesis, tumor cells strongly increase their uptake and use of dietary cholesterol to specifically promote the step of basal extrusion. Hence, these results suggest the mechanism by which a reduction in dietary cholesterol could lower the risk and slow down the progression of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Vialat
- GReD, CNRS UMR6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP38, F63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.V.); (E.B.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (J.-M.A.L.); (S.B.); (L.M.)
- Groupe Cancer Clermont Auvergne, F63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Elissa Baabdaty
- GReD, CNRS UMR6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP38, F63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.V.); (E.B.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (J.-M.A.L.); (S.B.); (L.M.)
- Groupe Cancer Clermont Auvergne, F63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Amalia Trousson
- GReD, CNRS UMR6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP38, F63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.V.); (E.B.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (J.-M.A.L.); (S.B.); (L.M.)
- Groupe Cancer Clermont Auvergne, F63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Ayhan Kocer
- GReD, CNRS UMR6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP38, F63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.V.); (E.B.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (J.-M.A.L.); (S.B.); (L.M.)
- Groupe Cancer Clermont Auvergne, F63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Jean-Marc A. Lobaccaro
- GReD, CNRS UMR6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP38, F63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.V.); (E.B.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (J.-M.A.L.); (S.B.); (L.M.)
- Groupe Cancer Clermont Auvergne, F63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Silvère Baron
- GReD, CNRS UMR6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP38, F63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.V.); (E.B.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (J.-M.A.L.); (S.B.); (L.M.)
- Groupe Cancer Clermont Auvergne, F63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Laurent Morel
- GReD, CNRS UMR6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP38, F63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.V.); (E.B.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (J.-M.A.L.); (S.B.); (L.M.)
- Groupe Cancer Clermont Auvergne, F63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Cyrille de Joussineau
- GReD, CNRS UMR6293, Inserm U1103, Université Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP38, F63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.V.); (E.B.); (A.T.); (A.K.); (J.-M.A.L.); (S.B.); (L.M.)
- Groupe Cancer Clermont Auvergne, F63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
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4
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Pilesi E, Tesoriere G, Ferriero A, Mascolo E, Liguori F, Argirò L, Angioli C, Tramonti A, Contestabile R, Volontè C, Vernì F. Vitamin B6 deficiency cooperates with oncogenic Ras to induce malignant tumors in Drosophila. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:388. [PMID: 38830901 PMCID: PMC11148137 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06787-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin which possesses antioxidant properties. Its catalytically active form, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), is a crucial cofactor for DNA and amino acid metabolism. The inverse correlation between vitamin B6 and cancer risk has been observed in several studies, although dietary vitamin B6 intake sometimes failed to confirm this association. However, the molecular link between vitamin B6 and cancer remains elusive. Previous work has shown that vitamin B6 deficiency causes chromosome aberrations (CABs) in Drosophila and human cells, suggesting that genome instability may correlate the lack of this vitamin to cancer. Here we provide evidence in support of this hypothesis. Firstly, we show that PLP deficiency, induced by the PLP antagonists 4-deoxypyridoxine (4DP) or ginkgotoxin (GT), promoted tumorigenesis in eye larval discs transforming benign RasV12 tumors into aggressive forms. In contrast, PLP supplementation reduced the development of tumors. We also show that low PLP levels, induced by 4DP or by silencing the sgllPNPO gene involved in PLP biosynthesis, worsened the tumor phenotype in another Drosophila cancer model generated by concomitantly activating RasV12 and downregulating Discs-large (Dlg) gene. Moreover, we found that RasV12 eye discs from larvae reared on 4DP displayed CABs, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and low catalytic activity of serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT), a PLP-dependent enzyme involved in thymidylate (dTMP) biosynthesis, in turn required for DNA replication and repair. Feeding RasV12 4DP-fed larvae with PLP or ascorbic acid (AA) plus dTMP, rescued both CABs and tumors. The same effect was produced by overexpressing catalase in RasV12 DlgRNAi 4DP-fed larvae, thus allowing to establish a relationship between PLP deficiency, CABs, and cancer. Overall, our data provide the first in vivo demonstration that PLP deficiency can impact on cancer by increasing genome instability, which is in turn mediated by ROS and reduced dTMP levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Pilesi
- Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Tesoriere
- Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Angelo Ferriero
- Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa Mascolo
- Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Liguori
- Experimental Neuroscience and Neurological Disease Models, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy
- CNR, Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Argirò
- Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Angioli
- Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Tramonti
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Contestabile
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza, University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza, University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Cinzia Volontè
- Experimental Neuroscience and Neurological Disease Models, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143, Rome, Italy
- CNR, Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Fiammetta Vernì
- Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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5
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Al-Sabri MH, Ammar N, Korzh S, Alsehli AM, Hosseini K, Fredriksson R, Mwinyi J, Williams MJ, Boukhatmi H, Schiöth HB. Fluvastatin-induced myofibrillar damage is associated with elevated ROS, and impaired fatty acid oxidation, and is preceded by mitochondrial morphological changes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3338. [PMID: 38336990 PMCID: PMC10858229 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53446-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Previously, we showed that fluvastatin treatment induces myofibrillar damage and mitochondrial phenotypes in the skeletal muscles of Drosophila. However, the sequential occurrence of mitochondrial phenotypes and myofibril damage remains elusive. To address this, we treated flies with fluvastatin for two and five days and examined their thorax flight muscles using confocal microscopy. In the two-day fluvastatin group, compared to the control, thorax flight muscles exhibited mitochondrial morphological changes, including fragmentation, rounding up and reduced content, while myofibrils remained organized in parallel. In the five-day fluvastatin treatment, not only did mitochondrial morphological changes become more pronounced, but myofibrils became severely disorganized with significantly increased thickness and spacing, along with myofilament abnormalities, suggesting myofibril damage. These findings suggest that fluvastatin-induced mitochondrial changes precede myofibril damage. Moreover, in the five-day fluvastatin group, the mitochondria demonstrated elevated H2O2 and impaired fatty acid oxidation compared to the control group, indicating potential mitochondrial dysfunction. Surprisingly, knocking down Hmgcr (Drosophila homolog of HMGCR) showed normal mitochondrial respiration in all parameters compared to controls or five-day fluvastatin treatment, which suggests that fluvastatin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction might be independent of Hmgcr inhibition. These results provide insights into the sequential occurrence of mitochondria and myofibril damage in statin-induced myopathy for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed H Al-Sabri
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Division of Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Center (BMC), Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Nourhane Ammar
- Institut de Génétique Et Développement de Rennes (IGDR), Université de Rennes, CNRS, UMR6290, 35065, Rennes, France
| | - Stanislava Korzh
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, Riga, 1006, Latvia
| | - Ahmed M Alsehli
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Division of Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Center (BMC), Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
- Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University and Hospital, Al Ehtifalat St., 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kimia Hosseini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Robert Fredriksson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jessica Mwinyi
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Division of Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Center (BMC), Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Michael J Williams
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Division of Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Center (BMC), Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hadi Boukhatmi
- Institut de Génétique Et Développement de Rennes (IGDR), Université de Rennes, CNRS, UMR6290, 35065, Rennes, France
| | - Helgi B Schiöth
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Division of Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Center (BMC), Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
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6
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Wang Y, Tamori Y. Polyploid Cancer Cell Models in Drosophila. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:96. [PMID: 38254985 PMCID: PMC10815460 DOI: 10.3390/genes15010096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cells with an abnormal number of chromosomes have been found in more than 90% of solid tumors, and among these, polyploidy accounts for about 40%. Polyploidized cells most often have duplicate centrosomes as well as genomes, and thus their mitosis tends to promote merotelic spindle attachments and chromosomal instability, which produces a variety of aneuploid daughter cells. Polyploid cells have been found highly resistant to various stress and anticancer therapies, such as radiation and mitogenic inhibitors. In other words, common cancer therapies kill proliferative diploid cells, which make up the majority of cancer tissues, while polyploid cells, which lurk in smaller numbers, may survive. The surviving polyploid cells, prompted by acute environmental changes, begin to mitose with chromosomal instability, leading to an explosion of genetic heterogeneity and a concomitant cell competition and adaptive evolution. The result is a recurrence of the cancer during which the tenacious cells that survived treatment express malignant traits. Although the presence of polyploid cells in cancer tissues has been observed for more than 150 years, the function and exact role of these cells in cancer progression has remained elusive. For this reason, there is currently no effective therapeutic treatment directed against polyploid cells. This is due in part to the lack of suitable experimental models, but recently several models have become available to study polyploid cells in vivo. We propose that the experimental models in Drosophila, for which genetic techniques are highly developed, could be very useful in deciphering mechanisms of polyploidy and its role in cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yoichiro Tamori
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
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Sekiya S, Fukuda J, Yamamura R, Ooshio T, Satoh Y, Kosuge S, Sato R, Hatanaka KC, Hatanaka Y, Mitsuhashi T, Nakamura T, Matsuno Y, Hirano S, Sonoshita M. Drosophila Screening Identifies Dual Inhibition of MEK and AURKB as an Effective Therapy for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Res 2023; 83:2704-2715. [PMID: 37378549 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-3762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) by generating and using murine models. To accelerate drug discovery by identifying novel therapeutic targets on a systemic level, here we generated a Drosophila model mimicking the genetic signature in PDAC (KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4 alterations), which is associated with the worst prognosis in patients. The '4-hit' flies displayed epithelial transformation and decreased survival. Comprehensive genetic screening of their entire kinome revealed kinases including MEK and AURKB as therapeutic targets. Consistently, a combination of the MEK inhibitor trametinib and the AURKB inhibitor BI-831266 suppressed the growth of human PDAC xenografts in mice. In patients with PDAC, the activity of AURKB was associated with poor prognosis. This fly-based platform provides an efficient whole-body approach that complements current methods for identifying therapeutic targets in PDAC. SIGNIFICANCE Development of a Drosophila model mimicking genetic alterations in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma provides a tool for genetic screening that identifies MEK and AURKB inhibition as a potential treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho Sekiya
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Junki Fukuda
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ryodai Yamamura
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takako Ooshio
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Satoh
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Shinya Kosuge
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Reo Sato
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kanako C Hatanaka
- Center for Development of Advanced Diagnostics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yutaka Hatanaka
- Center for Development of Advanced Diagnostics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
- Research Division of Genome Companion Diagnostics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Mitsuhashi
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Toru Nakamura
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Matsuno
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hirano
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Sonoshita
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Global Station for Biosurfaces and Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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8
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Marani A, Gioacchini H, Paolinelli M, Offidani A, Campanati A. Potential drug-drug interactions with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitors used to treat melanoma. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2023; 19:555-567. [PMID: 37659065 DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2023.2255519] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The management of patients with BRAF-mutated advanced melanoma who are undergoing targeted therapy with MEK inhibitors can be complicated by the co-administration of multiple medications, which can give rise to drug-drug interactions of clinical significance. COVERED AREAS Our review presents a comprehensive analysis of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions of the three approved for advanced melanoma MEK inhibitor drugs - binimetinib, cobimetinib, and trametinib. MEDLINE (PubMed) was utilized for the literature search, comprising clinical studies, observational studies, and preclinical research. The review discusses the impact of these interactions on efficacy and safety of the treatments and differentiates between interactions supported by pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic mechanisms, those encountered in clinical practice, and those observed in preclinical studies. EXPERT OPINION Physicians should be aware about potential benefits, but also increased toxicity caused by drug interactions between MEK inhibitors and other drugs in the management of patients with metastatic melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Marani
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - H Gioacchini
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - M Paolinelli
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - A Offidani
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - A Campanati
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
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9
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Bossen J, Kühle JP, Roeder T. The tracheal immune system of insects - A blueprint for understanding epithelial immunity. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 157:103960. [PMID: 37235953 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.103960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The unique design of respiratory organs in multicellular organisms makes them prone to infection by pathogens. To cope with this vulnerability, highly effective local immune systems evolved that are also operative in the tracheal system of insects. Many pathogens and parasites (including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and metazoan parasites) colonize the trachea or invade the host via this route. Currently, only two modules of the tracheal immune system have been characterized in depth: 1) Immune deficiency pathway-mediated activation of antimicrobial peptide gene expression and 2) local melanization processes that protect the structure from wounding. There is an urgent need to increase our understanding of the architecture of tracheal immune systems, especially regarding those mechanisms that enable the maintenance of immune homeostasis. This need for new studies is particularly exigent for species other than Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Bossen
- Kiel University, Zoology, Dept, Molecular Physiology, Kiel, Germany; Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Germany
| | - Jan-Philip Kühle
- Kiel University, Zoology, Dept, Molecular Physiology, Kiel, Germany
| | - Thomas Roeder
- Kiel University, Zoology, Dept, Molecular Physiology, Kiel, Germany; Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Germany.
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10
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Ahmadi Y, Fard JK, Ghafoor D, Eid AH, Sahebkar A. Paradoxical effects of statins on endothelial and cancer cells: the impact of concentrations. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:43. [PMID: 36899388 PMCID: PMC9999585 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-02890-1] [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: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In addition to their lipid-lowering functions, statins elicit additional pleiotropic effects on apoptosis, angiogenesis, inflammation, senescence, and oxidative stress. Many of these effects have been reported in cancerous and noncancerous cells like endothelial cells (ECs), endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and human umbilical vein cells (HUVCs). Not surprisingly, statins' effects appear to vary largely depending on the cell context, especially as pertains to modulation of cell cycle, senescence, and apoptotic processes. Perhaps the most critical reason for this discordance is the bias in selecting the applied doses in various cells. While lower (nanomolar) concentrations of statins impose anti-senescence, and antiapoptotic effects, higher concentrations (micromolar) appear to precipitate opposite effects. Indeed, most studies performed in cancer cells utilized high concentrations, where statin-induced cytotoxic and cytostatic effects were noted. Some studies report that even at low concentrations, statins induce senescence or cytostatic impacts but not cytotoxic effects. However, the literature appears to be relatively consistent that in cancer cells, statins, in both low or higher concentrations, induce apoptosis or cell cycle arrest, anti-proliferative effects, and cause senescence. However, statins' effects on ECs depend on the concentrations; at micromolar concentrations statins cause cell senescence and apoptosis, while at nonomolar concentrations statins act reversely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasin Ahmadi
- College of Science, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Komar University of Science and Technology, 46001, Sulaymania, Iraq.
| | - Javad Khalili Fard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Dlzar Ghafoor
- College of Science, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Komar University of Science and Technology, 46001, Sulaymania, Iraq
| | - Ali H Eid
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. .,Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. .,Department of Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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11
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Sharpe JL, Morgan J, Nisbet N, Campbell K, Casali A. Modelling Cancer Metastasis in Drosophila melanogaster. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050677. [PMID: 36899813 PMCID: PMC10000390 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer metastasis, the process by which tumour cells spread throughout the body and form secondary tumours at distant sites, is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The metastatic cascade is a highly complex process encompassing initial dissemination from the primary tumour, travel through the blood stream or lymphatic system, and the colonisation of distant organs. However, the factors enabling cells to survive this stressful process and adapt to new microenvironments are not fully characterised. Drosophila have proven a powerful system in which to study this process, despite important caveats such as their open circulatory system and lack of adaptive immune system. Historically, larvae have been used to model cancer due to the presence of pools of proliferating cells in which tumours can be induced, and transplanting these larval tumours into adult hosts has enabled tumour growth to be monitored over longer periods. More recently, thanks largely to the discovery that there are stem cells in the adult midgut, adult models have been developed. We focus this review on the development of different Drosophila models of metastasis and how they have contributed to our understanding of important factors determining metastatic potential, including signalling pathways, the immune system and the microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne L. Sharpe
- School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Jason Morgan
- School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Nicholas Nisbet
- School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Kyra Campbell
- School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
- Correspondence: (K.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Andreu Casali
- Departament de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Universitat de Lleida and IRBLleida, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 80, 25198 Lleida, Spain
- Correspondence: (K.C.); (A.C.)
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12
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Fruit fly for anticancer drug discovery and repurposing. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2023; 85:337-342. [PMID: 36845805 PMCID: PMC9949803 DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000000222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023] Open
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13
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Das D, Begum M, Paul P, Dutta I, Mandal S, Ghosh P, Ghosh S. Effects of plant growth retardant daminozide (Alar) on neuromuscular co-ordination behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2022; 85:921-936. [PMID: 35996764 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2022.2114564] [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: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Daminozide (alar), a plant growth retardant, is used in different fruit orchard to make fruits attractive and reduce pre-harvest losses. Previously data demonstrated that acute daminozide exposure affected reproductive fitness and produced neurodegeneration in Drosophila melanogaster. The goal of this study was to determine whether continuous exposure to daminozide affects neuromuscular co-ordination in D. melanogaster as manifested in various behavioral responses. Fruit flies were exposed to 200 or 400 mg/L concentration of daminozide for two successive generations. Treated D. melanogaster were examined for the behaviors indicative of neuromuscular coordination and cognitive abilities, that include climbing, social interaction, adult grooming, migration, flight, male aggression, and adult courtship. Aberrant behavioral responses were noted among treated D. melanogaster of both sexes as evidenced by the following parameters: reduction in flight duration, abnormal social interaction, altered copulatory acts, and over-aggressiveness. Data suggest that daminozide produces impairment in neuromuscular coordination and cognitive ability in Drosophila, which was reflected as altered behavioral patterns. As Drosophila is considered as a reliable in vivo model utilized in toxicity testing, our findings may help us to anticipate and monitor potential daminozide-induced toxicity in animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debasmita Das
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - Morium Begum
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - Pallab Paul
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - Ishita Dutta
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | | | - Papiya Ghosh
- Department of Zoology, Bijoykrishna Girls' College. Howrah. India
| | - Sujay Ghosh
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
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14
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Statins Induce Locomotion and Muscular Phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster That Are Reminiscent of Human Myopathy: Evidence for the Role of the Chloride Channel Inhibition in the Muscular Phenotypes. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223528. [PMID: 36428957 PMCID: PMC9688544 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The underlying mechanisms for statin-induced myopathy (SIM) are still equivocal. In this study, we employ Drosophila melanogaster to dissect possible underlying mechanisms for SIM. We observe that chronic fluvastatin treatment causes reduced general locomotion activity and climbing ability. In addition, transmission microscopy of dissected skeletal muscles of fluvastatin-treated flies reveals strong myofibrillar damage, including increased sarcomere lengths and Z-line streaming, which are reminiscent of myopathy, along with fragmented mitochondria of larger sizes, most of which are round-like shapes. Furthermore, chronic fluvastatin treatment is associated with impaired lipid metabolism and insulin signalling. Mechanistically, knockdown of the statin-target Hmgcr in the skeletal muscles recapitulates fluvastatin-induced mitochondrial phenotypes and lowered general locomotion activity; however, it was not sufficient to alter sarcomere length or elicit myofibrillar damage compared to controls or fluvastatin treatment. Moreover, we found that fluvastatin treatment was associated with reduced expression of the skeletal muscle chloride channel, ClC-a (Drosophila homolog of CLCN1), while selective knockdown of skeletal muscle ClC-a also recapitulated fluvastatin-induced myofibril damage and increased sarcomere lengths. Surprisingly, exercising fluvastatin-treated flies restored ClC-a expression and normalized sarcomere lengths, suggesting that fluvastatin-induced myofibrillar phenotypes could be linked to lowered ClC-a expression. Taken together, these results may indicate the potential role of ClC-a inhibition in statin-associated muscular phenotypes. This study underlines the importance of Drosophila melanogaster as a powerful model system for elucidating the locomotion and muscular phenotypes, promoting a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying SIM.
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15
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van Leeuwen JE, Ba-Alawi W, Branchard E, Cruickshank J, Schormann W, Longo J, Silvester J, Gross PL, Andrews DW, Cescon DW, Haibe-Kains B, Penn LZ, Gendoo DMA. Computational pharmacogenomic screen identifies drugs that potentiate the anti-breast cancer activity of statins. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6323. [PMID: 36280687 PMCID: PMC9592602 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33144-9] [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: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Statins, a family of FDA-approved cholesterol-lowering drugs that inhibit the rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate metabolic pathway, have demonstrated anticancer activity. Evidence shows that dipyridamole potentiates statin-induced cancer cell death by blocking a restorative feedback loop triggered by statin treatment. Leveraging this knowledge, we develop an integrative pharmacogenomics pipeline to identify compounds similar to dipyridamole at the level of drug structure, cell sensitivity and molecular perturbation. To overcome the complex polypharmacology of dipyridamole, we focus our pharmacogenomics pipeline on mevalonate pathway genes, which we name mevalonate drug-network fusion (MVA-DNF). We validate top-ranked compounds, nelfinavir and honokiol, and identify that low expression of the canonical epithelial cell marker, E-cadherin, is associated with statin-compound synergy. Analysis of remaining prioritized hits led to the validation of additional compounds, clotrimazole and vemurafenib. Thus, our computational pharmacogenomic approach identifies actionable compounds with pathway-specific activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E. van Leeuwen
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Wail Ba-Alawi
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Emily Branchard
- grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Jennifer Cruickshank
- grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Wiebke Schormann
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5 Canada
| | - Joseph Longo
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Jennifer Silvester
- grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Peter L. Gross
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Department of Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8 Canada
| | - David W. Andrews
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5 Canada
| | - David W. Cescon
- grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, 27 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1 Canada
| | - Benjamin Haibe-Kains
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, 10 King’s College Road, Toronto, ON M5S 3G4 Canada ,grid.419890.d0000 0004 0626 690XOntario Institute of Cancer Research, 661 University Avenue, Suite 510, Toronto, ON M5G 0A3 Canada
| | - Linda Z. Penn
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Deena M. A. Gendoo
- grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486Centre for Computational Biology, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK ,grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
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16
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Jiang H, Kimura T, Hai H, Yamamura R, Sonoshita M. Drosophila as a toolkit to tackle cancer and its metabolism. Front Oncol 2022; 12:982751. [PMID: 36091180 PMCID: PMC9458318 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.982751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the most severe health problems worldwide accounting for the second leading cause of death. Studies have indicated that cancers utilize different metabolic systems as compared with normal cells to produce extra energy and substances required for their survival, which contributes to tumor formation and progression. Recently, the fruit fly Drosophila has been attracting significant attention as a whole-body model for elucidating the cancer mechanisms including metabolism. This tiny organism offers a valuable toolkit with various advantages such as high genetic conservation and similar drug response to mammals. In this review, we introduce flies modeling for cancer patient genotypes which have pinpointed novel therapeutic targets and drug candidates in the salivary gland, thyroid, colon, lung, and brain. Furthermore, we introduce fly models for metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, and cachexia. Diabetes mellitus and obesity are widely acknowledged risk factors for cancer, while cachexia is a cancer-related metabolic condition. In addition, we specifically focus on two cancer metabolic alterations: the Warburg effect and redox metabolism. Indeed, flies proved useful to reveal the relationship between these metabolic changes and cancer. Such accumulating achievements indicate that Drosophila offers an efficient platform to clarify the mechanisms of cancer as a systemic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Jiang
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Taku Kimura
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Oral Diagnosis and Medicine, Graduate school of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Han Hai
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ryodai Yamamura
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Global Station for Biosurfaces and Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Ryodai Yamamura, ; Masahiro Sonoshita,
| | - Masahiro Sonoshita
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Global Station for Biosurfaces and Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Ryodai Yamamura, ; Masahiro Sonoshita,
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17
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Munnik C, Xaba MP, Malindisa ST, Russell BL, Sooklal SA. Drosophila melanogaster: A platform for anticancer drug discovery and personalized therapies. Front Genet 2022; 13:949241. [PMID: 36003330 PMCID: PMC9393232 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.949241] [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: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex disease whereby multiple genetic aberrations, epigenetic modifications, metabolic reprogramming, and the microenvironment contribute to the development of a tumor. In the traditional anticancer drug discovery pipeline, drug candidates are usually screened in vitro using two-dimensional or three-dimensional cell culture. However, these methods fail to accurately mimic the human disease state. This has led to the poor success rate of anticancer drugs in the preclinical stages since many drugs are abandoned due to inefficacy or toxicity when transitioned to whole-organism models. The common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has emerged as a beneficial system for modeling human cancers. Decades of fundamental research have shown the evolutionary conservation of key genes and signaling pathways between flies and humans. Moreover, Drosophila has a lower genetic redundancy in comparison to mammals. These factors, in addition to the advancement of genetic toolkits for manipulating gene expression, allow for the generation of complex Drosophila genotypes and phenotypes. Numerous studies have successfully created Drosophila models for colorectal, lung, thyroid, and brain cancers. These models were utilized in the high-throughput screening of FDA-approved drugs which led to the identification of several compounds capable of reducing proliferation and rescuing phenotypes. More noteworthy, Drosophila has also unlocked the potential for personalized therapies. Drosophila ‘avatars’ presenting the same mutations as a patient are used to screen multiple therapeutic agents targeting multiple pathways to find the most appropriate combination of drugs. The outcomes of these studies have translated to significant responses in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma and metastatic colorectal cancers. Despite not being widely utilized, the concept of in vivo screening of drugs in Drosophila is making significant contributions to the current drug discovery pipeline. In this review, we discuss the application of Drosophila as a platform in anticancer drug discovery; with special focus on the cancer models that have been generated, drug libraries that have been screened and the status of personalized therapies. In addition, we elaborate on the biological and technical limitations of this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chamoné Munnik
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Malungi P. Xaba
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sibusiso T. Malindisa
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Bonnie L. Russell
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- Buboo (Pty) Ltd, The Innovation Hub, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Selisha A. Sooklal
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Selisha A. Sooklal,
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18
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Macedo GE, Vieira PDB, Rodrigues NR, Gomes KK, Rodrigues JF, Franco JL, Posser T. Effect of fungal indoor air pollutant 1-octen-3-ol on levels of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide as well as dehydrogenases activities in drosophila melanogaster males. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2022; 85:573-585. [PMID: 35354383 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2022.2054887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Fungal pollution of indoor environments contributes to several allergic symptoms and represents a public health problem. It is well-established that 1-octen-3-ol, also known as mushroom alcohol, is a fungal volatile organic compound (VOC) commonly found in damp indoor spaces and responsible for the typical musty odor. Previously it was reported that exposure to 1-octen-3-ol induced inflammations and disrupted mitochondrial morphology and bioenergetic rate in Drosophila melanogaster. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of 1-octen-3-ol on dehydrogenase activity, apoptotic biomarkers, levels of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as antioxidant enzymes activities. D. melanogaster flies were exposed to an atmosphere containing 1-octen-3-ol (2.5 or ∞l/L) for 24 hr. Data demonstrated that 1-octen-3-ol decreased dehydrogenases activity and NO levels but increased ROS levels accompanied by stimulation of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities without altering caspase 3/7 activation. These findings indicate that adverse mitochondrial activity effects following exposure of D. melanogaster to 1-octen-3-ol, a fungal VOC, may be attributed to oxidant stress. The underlying mechanisms involved in adverse consequences of indoor fungal exposure appear to be related to necrotic but not apoptotic mechanisms. The adverse consequences were sex-dependent with males displaying higher sensitivity to 1-octen-3-ol. Based upon on the fact that the fly genome shares nearly 75% of disease-related genes to human exposure to this fungus may explain the adverse human responses to mold especially for males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulianna Echeverria Macedo
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Signaling Research Group, Centro Interdisciplinar em Biotecnologia - CIPBIOTEC, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, Brazil
| | - Patrícia de Brum Vieira
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Signaling Research Group, Centro Interdisciplinar em Biotecnologia - CIPBIOTEC, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, Brazil
| | - Nathane Rosa Rodrigues
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Signaling Research Group, Centro Interdisciplinar em Biotecnologia - CIPBIOTEC, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, Brazil
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Karen Kich Gomes
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Signaling Research Group, Centro Interdisciplinar em Biotecnologia - CIPBIOTEC, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Ferreira Rodrigues
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Signaling Research Group, Centro Interdisciplinar em Biotecnologia - CIPBIOTEC, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, Brazil
| | - Jeferson Luis Franco
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Signaling Research Group, Centro Interdisciplinar em Biotecnologia - CIPBIOTEC, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, Brazil
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Thaís Posser
- Oxidative Stress and Cell Signaling Research Group, Centro Interdisciplinar em Biotecnologia - CIPBIOTEC, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, Brazil
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Weina T, Ying L, Yiwen W, Huan-Huan Q. What we have learnt from Drosophila model organism: the coordination between insulin signaling pathway and tumor cells. Heliyon 2022; 8:e09957. [PMID: 35874083 PMCID: PMC9304707 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09957] [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] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer development is related to a variety of signaling pathways which mediate various cellular processes including growth, survival, division and competition of cells, as well as cell-cell interaction. The insulin signaling pathway interacts with different pathways and plays a core role in the regulations of all these processes. In this study, we reviewed recent studies on the relationship between the insulin signaling pathway and tumors using the Drosophila melanogaster model. We found that on one hand, the insulin pathway is normally hyperactive in tumor cells, which promotes tumor growth, and on the other hand, tumor cells can suppress the growth of healthy tissues via inhibition of their insulin pathway. Moreover, systematic disruption in glucose homeostasis also facilitates cancer development by different mechanisms. The studies on how the insulin network regulates the behaviors of cancer cells may help to discover new therapeutic treatments for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tang Weina
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 300072, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Ying
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 300072, Tianjin, China
| | - Wang Yiwen
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 300072, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiao Huan-Huan
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, 300072, Tianjin, China
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20
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Connecting Ras and CTP synthase in Drosophila. Exp Cell Res 2022; 416:113155. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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21
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The Statin Target HMG-Coenzyme a Reductase (Hmgcr) Regulates Sleep Homeostasis in Drosophila. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15010079. [PMID: 35056136 PMCID: PMC8781969 DOI: 10.3390/ph15010079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Statins, HMG Coenzyme A Reductase (HMGCR) inhibitors, are a first-line therapy, used to reduce hypercholesterolemia and the risk for cardiovascular events. While sleep disturbances are recognized as a side-effect of statin treatment, the impact of statins on sleep is under debate. Using Drosophila, we discovered a novel role for Hmgcr in sleep modulation. Loss of pan-neuronal Hmgcr expression affects fly sleep behavior, causing a decrease in sleep latency and an increase in sleep episode duration. We localized the pars intercerebralis (PI), equivalent to the mammalian hypothalamus, as the region within the fly brain requiring Hmgcr activity for proper sleep maintenance. Lack of Hmgcr expression in the PI insulin-producing cells recapitulates the sleep effects of pan-neuronal Hmgcr knockdown. Conversely, loss of Hmgcr in a different PI subpopulation, the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) homologue-expressing neurons (DH44 neurons), increases sleep latency and decreases sleep duration. The requirement for Hmgcr activity in different neurons signifies its importance in sleep regulation. Interestingly, loss of Hmgcr in the PI does not affect circadian rhythm, suggesting that Hmgcr regulates sleep by pathways distinct from the circadian clock. Taken together, these findings suggest that Hmgcr activity in the PI is essential for proper sleep homeostasis in flies.
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22
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Amin F, Fathi F, Reiner Ž, Banach M, Sahebkar A. The role of statins in lung cancer. Arch Med Sci 2022; 18:141-152. [PMID: 35154535 PMCID: PMC8826694 DOI: 10.5114/aoms/123225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality in the 21st century. Statins as inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase not only reduce the cholesterol levels in the blood and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease but may also play an important role in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. Statins have several antitumor properties including the ability to reduce cell proliferation and angiogenesis, decrease invasion and synergistic suppression of lung cancer progression. Statins induce tumor cell apoptosis by inhibition of downstream products such as small GTP-binding proteins, Rho, Ras and Rac, which are dependent on isoprenylation. Statins reduce angiogenesis in tumors by down-regulation of pro-angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor. In this review, the feasibility and efficacy of statins in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Amin
- Physiology-Pharmacology Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Fathi
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Biosensor and Bioelectronic Department, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Željko Reiner
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Maciej Banach
- Department of Preventive Cardiology and Lipidology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
- Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute (PMMHRI), Lodz, Poland
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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23
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Drosophila Accessory Gland: A Complementary In Vivo Model to Bring New Insight to Prostate Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092387. [PMID: 34572036 PMCID: PMC8468328 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in aging men. Despite recent progress, there are still few effective treatments to cure its aggressive and metastatic stages. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving disease initiation and progression appears essential to support the development of more efficient therapies and improve patient care. To do so, multiple research models, such as cell culture and mouse models, have been developed over the years and have improved our comprehension of the biology of the disease. Recently, a new model has been added with the use of the Drosophila accessory gland. With a high level of conservation of major signaling pathways implicated in human disease, this functional equivalent of the prostate represents a powerful, inexpensive, and rapid in vivo model to study epithelial carcinogenesis. The purpose of this review is to quickly overview the existing prostate cancer models, including their strengths and limitations. In particular, we discuss how the Drosophila accessory gland can be integrated as a convenient complementary model by bringing new understanding in the mechanisms driving prostate epithelial tumorigenesis, from initiation to metastatic formation.
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24
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Gondal MN, Butt RN, Shah OS, Sultan MU, Mustafa G, Nasir Z, Hussain R, Khawar H, Qazi R, Tariq M, Faisal A, Chaudhary SU. A Personalized Therapeutics Approach Using an In Silico Drosophila Patient Model Reveals Optimal Chemo- and Targeted Therapy Combinations for Colorectal Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:692592. [PMID: 34336681 PMCID: PMC8323493 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.692592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In silico models of biomolecular regulation in cancer, annotated with patient-specific gene expression data, can aid in the development of novel personalized cancer therapeutic strategies. Drosophila melanogaster is a well-established animal model that is increasingly being employed to evaluate such preclinical personalized cancer therapies. Here, we report five Boolean network models of biomolecular regulation in cells lining the Drosophila midgut epithelium and annotate them with colorectal cancer patient-specific mutation data to develop an in silico Drosophila Patient Model (DPM). We employed cell-type-specific RNA-seq gene expression data from the FlyGut-seq database to annotate and then validate these networks. Next, we developed three literature-based colorectal cancer case studies to evaluate cell fate outcomes from the model. Results obtained from analyses of the proposed DPM help: (i) elucidate cell fate evolution in colorectal tumorigenesis, (ii) validate cytotoxicity of nine FDA-approved CRC drugs, and (iii) devise optimal personalized treatment combinations. The personalized network models helped identify synergistic combinations of paclitaxel-regorafenib, paclitaxel-bortezomib, docetaxel-bortezomib, and paclitaxel-imatinib for treating different colorectal cancer patients. Follow-on therapeutic screening of six colorectal cancer patients from cBioPortal using this drug combination demonstrated a 100% increase in apoptosis and a 100% decrease in proliferation. In conclusion, this work outlines a novel roadmap for decoding colorectal tumorigenesis along with the development of personalized combinatorial therapeutics for preclinical translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahnoor Naseer Gondal
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Rida Nasir Butt
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Osama Shiraz Shah
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Umer Sultan
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ghulam Mustafa
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Zainab Nasir
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Risham Hussain
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Huma Khawar
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Romena Qazi
- Department of Pathology, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Tariq
- Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Amir Faisal
- Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Safee Ullah Chaudhary
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
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25
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Wagner C, Uliczka K, Bossen J, Niu X, Fink C, Thiedmann M, Knop M, Vock C, Abdelsadik A, Zissler UM, Isermann K, Garn H, Pieper M, Wegmann M, Koczulla AR, Vogelmeier CF, Schmidt-Weber CB, Fehrenbach H, König P, Silverman N, Renz H, Pfefferle P, Heine H, Roeder T. Constitutive immune activity promotes JNK- and FoxO-dependent remodeling of Drosophila airways. Cell Rep 2021; 35:108956. [PMID: 33826881 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Extensive remodeling of the airways is a major characteristic of chronic inflammatory lung diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To elucidate the importance of a deregulated immune response in the airways for remodeling processes, we established a matching Drosophila model. Here, triggering the Imd (immune deficiency) pathway in tracheal cells induced organ-wide remodeling. This structural remodeling comprises disorganization of epithelial structures and comprehensive epithelial thickening. We show that these structural changes do not depend on the Imd pathway's canonical branch terminating on nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation. Instead, activation of a different segment of the Imd pathway that branches off downstream of Tak1 and comprises activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and forkhead transcription factor of the O subgroup (FoxO) signaling is necessary and sufficient to mediate the observed structural changes of the airways. Our findings imply that targeting JNK and FoxO signaling in the airways could be a promising strategy to interfere with disease-associated airway remodeling processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Wagner
- Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany; Division of Invertebrate Models, Priority Research Area Asthma and Allergy, Research Center Borstel, 23845 Borstel, Germany
| | - Karin Uliczka
- Division of Invertebrate Models, Priority Research Area Asthma and Allergy, Research Center Borstel, 23845 Borstel, Germany; Division of Innate Immunity, Priority Research Area Asthma and Allergy, Research Center Borstel, 23845 Borstel, Germany
| | - Judith Bossen
- Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany; Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Xiao Niu
- Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Christine Fink
- Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Marcus Thiedmann
- Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Mirjam Knop
- Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Christina Vock
- Division of Experimental Pneumology, Priority Research Area Asthma and Allergy, Research Center Borstel, 23845 Borstel, Germany
| | - Ahmed Abdelsadik
- Zoology, Aswan University, Aswan 81528, Egypt; Molecular Biotechnology Program, Faculty of Advanced Basic Sciences, Galala University, 43552 New Galala, Egypt
| | - Ulrich M Zissler
- Center of Allergy and Environment (ZAUM), Technical University Munich and Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, 80802 Munich, Germany; CPC-M, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Kerstin Isermann
- Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Holger Garn
- Translational Inflammation Research Division & Core Facility for Single Cell Multiomics, Medical Faculty, Philipps University of Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; UGMLC, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
| | - Mario Pieper
- University Lübeck, Anatomical Institute, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Michael Wegmann
- Division of Asthma Exacerbation & Regulation, Priority Research Area Asthma and Allergy, Research Center Borstel, 23845 Borstel, Germany; Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Andreas R Koczulla
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical Faculty, Philipps University of Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; UGMLC, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
| | - Claus F Vogelmeier
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical Faculty, Philipps University of Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; UGMLC, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
| | - Carsten B Schmidt-Weber
- Center of Allergy and Environment (ZAUM), Technical University Munich and Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, 80802 Munich, Germany; CPC-M, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Heinz Fehrenbach
- Division of Experimental Pneumology, Priority Research Area Asthma and Allergy, Research Center Borstel, 23845 Borstel, Germany; Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Peter König
- University Lübeck, Anatomical Institute, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Neil Silverman
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Harald Renz
- Molecular Diagnostics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Medical Faculty, Philipps University of Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; UGMLC, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
| | - Petra Pfefferle
- Comprehensive Biobank Marburg, University Medical Center Giessen and Marburg, Medical Faculty, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; UGMLC, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
| | - Holger Heine
- Division of Innate Immunity, Priority Research Area Asthma and Allergy, Research Center Borstel, 23845 Borstel, Germany; Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Thomas Roeder
- Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany; Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany.
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A Drosophila platform identifies a novel, personalized therapy for a patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma. iScience 2021; 24:102212. [PMID: 33733072 PMCID: PMC7940980 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare cancer type that originates in the salivary glands. Tumors commonly invade along nerve tracks in the head and neck, making surgery challenging. Follow-up treatments for recurrence or metastasis including chemotherapy and targeted therapies have shown limited efficacy, emphasizing the need for new therapies. Here, we report a Drosophila-based therapeutic approach for a patient with advanced ACC disease. A patient-specific Drosophila transgenic line was developed to model the five major variants associated with the patient's disease. Robotics-based screening identified a three-drug cocktail—vorinostat, pindolol, tofacitinib—that rescued transgene-mediated lethality in the Drosophila patient-specific line. Patient treatment led to a sustained stabilization and a partial metabolic response of 12 months. Subsequent resistance was associated with new genomic amplifications and deletions. Given the lack of options for patients with ACC, our data suggest that this approach may prove useful for identifying novel therapeutic candidates. Personalized therapy was developed for patient with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Genomics analysis was leveraged to establish a Drosophila ‘personalized patient avatar’ A robotics-based screen identified a novel three drug therapeutic cocktail 12 months response was followed by relapse and significant tumor genomic re-wiring
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27
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Yamamura R, Ooshio T, Sonoshita M. Tiny Drosophila makes giant strides in cancer research. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:505-514. [PMID: 33275812 PMCID: PMC7893992 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer burden has been increasing worldwide, making cancer the second leading cause of death in the world. Over the past decades, various experimental models have provided important insights into the nature of cancer. Among them, the fruit fly Drosophila as a whole-animal toolkit has made a decisive contribution to our understanding of fundamental mechanisms of cancer development including loss of cell polarity. In recent years, scalable Drosophila platforms have proven useful also in developing anti-cancer regimens that are effective not only in mammalian models but also in patients. Here, we review studies using Drosophila as a tool to advance cancer study by complementing other traditional research systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryodai Yamamura
- Division of Biomedical OncologyInstitute for Genetic MedicineHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | - Takako Ooshio
- Division of Biomedical OncologyInstitute for Genetic MedicineHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | - Masahiro Sonoshita
- Division of Biomedical OncologyInstitute for Genetic MedicineHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
- Global Station for Biosurfaces and Drug DiscoveryHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
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28
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Rackley B, Seong CS, Kiely E, Parker RE, Rupji M, Dwivedi B, Heddleston JM, Giang W, Anthony N, Chew TL, Gilbert-Ross M. The level of oncogenic Ras determines the malignant transformation of Lkb1 mutant tissue in vivo. Commun Biol 2021; 4:142. [PMID: 33514834 PMCID: PMC7846793 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01663-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The genetic and metabolic heterogeneity of RAS-driven cancers has confounded therapeutic strategies in the clinic. To address this, rapid and genetically tractable animal models are needed that recapitulate the heterogeneity of RAS-driven cancers in vivo. Here, we generate a Drosophila melanogaster model of Ras/Lkb1 mutant carcinoma. We show that low-level expression of oncogenic Ras (RasLow) promotes the survival of Lkb1 mutant tissue, but results in autonomous cell cycle arrest and non-autonomous overgrowth of wild-type tissue. In contrast, high-level expression of oncogenic Ras (RasHigh) transforms Lkb1 mutant tissue resulting in lethal malignant tumors. Using simultaneous multiview light-sheet microcopy, we have characterized invasion phenotypes of Ras/Lkb1 tumors in living larvae. Our molecular analysis reveals sustained activation of the AMPK pathway in malignant Ras/Lkb1 tumors, and demonstrate the genetic and pharmacologic dependence of these tumors on CaMK-activated Ampk. We further show that LKB1 mutant human lung adenocarcinoma patients with high levels of oncogenic KRAS exhibit worse overall survival and increased AMPK activation. Our results suggest that high levels of oncogenic KRAS is a driving event in the malignant transformation of LKB1 mutant tissue, and uncovers a vulnerability that may be used to target this aggressive genetic subset of RAS-driven tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briana Rackley
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chang-Soo Seong
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Evan Kiely
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Winship Research Informatics, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Rebecca E Parker
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Manali Rupji
- Biostatistics Shared Resource, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bhakti Dwivedi
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Shared Resource, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John M Heddleston
- Advanced Imaging Center, Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - William Giang
- Integrated Cellular Imaging Core, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Neil Anthony
- Integrated Cellular Imaging Core, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Teng-Leong Chew
- Advanced Imaging Center, Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Melissa Gilbert-Ross
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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29
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Jonckheere S, Adams J, De Groote D, Campbell K, Berx G, Goossens S. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) as a Therapeutic Target. Cells Tissues Organs 2021; 211:157-182. [PMID: 33401271 DOI: 10.1159/000512218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumour to distant sites and organs throughout the body. It is the primary cause of cancer morbidity and mortality, and is estimated to account for 90% of cancer-related deaths. During the initial steps of the metastatic cascade, epithelial cancer cells undergo an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and as a result become migratory and invasive mesenchymal-like cells while acquiring cancer stem cell properties and therapy resistance. As EMT is involved in such a broad range of processes associated with malignant transformation, it has become an increasingly interesting target for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Anti-EMT therapeutic strategies could potentially not only prevent the invasion and dissemination of cancer cells, and as such prevent the formation of metastatic lesions, but also attenuate cancer stemness and increase the effectiveness of more classical chemotherapeutics. In this review, we give an overview about the pros and cons of therapies targeting EMT and discuss some already existing candidate drug targets and high-throughput screening tools to identify novel anti-EMT compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Jonckheere
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jamie Adams
- Department of Biomedical Science, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Dominic De Groote
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kyra Campbell
- Department of Biomedical Science, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Geert Berx
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steven Goossens
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, .,Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium,
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30
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Buñay J, Fouache A, Trousson A, de Joussineau C, Bouchareb E, Zhu Z, Kocer A, Morel L, Baron S, Lobaccaro JMA. Screening for liver X receptor modulators: Where are we and for what use? Br J Pharmacol 2020; 178:3277-3293. [PMID: 33080050 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver X receptors (LXRs) are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily that are canonically activated by oxidized derivatives of cholesterol. Since the mid-90s, numerous groups have identified LXRs as endocrine receptors that are involved in the regulation of various physiological functions. As a result, when their expression is genetically modified in mice, phenotypic analyses reveal endocrine disorders ranging from infertility to diabetes and obesity, nervous system pathologies such Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, immunological disturbances, inflammatory response, and enhancement of tumour development. Based on such findings, it appears that LXRs could constitute good pharmacological targets to prevent and/or to treat these diseases. This review discusses the various aspects of LXR drug discovery, from the tools available for the screening of potential LXR modulators to the current situational analysis of the drugs in development. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue on Oxysterols, Lifelong Health and Therapeutics. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v178.16/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Buñay
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS, INSERM, and Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Allan Fouache
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS, INSERM, and Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Amalia Trousson
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS, INSERM, and Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Cyrille de Joussineau
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS, INSERM, and Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Erwan Bouchareb
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS, INSERM, and Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Zhekun Zhu
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS, INSERM, and Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Ayhan Kocer
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS, INSERM, and Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Laurent Morel
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS, INSERM, and Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Silvere Baron
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS, INSERM, and Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Jean-Marc A Lobaccaro
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS, INSERM, and Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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31
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Ariss MM, Terry AR, Islam ABMMK, Hay N, Frolov MV. Amalgam regulates the receptor tyrosine kinase pathway through Sprouty in glial cell development in the Drosophila larval brain. J Cell Sci 2020; 133:jcs.250837. [PMID: 32878945 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.250837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) pathway plays an essential role in development and disease by controlling cell proliferation and differentiation. Here, we profile the Drosophila larval brain by single-cell RNA-sequencing and identify Amalgam (Ama), which encodes a cell adhesion protein of the immunoglobulin IgLON family, as regulating the RTK pathway activity during glial cell development. Depletion of Ama reduces cell proliferation, affects glial cell type composition and disrupts the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which leads to hemocyte infiltration and neuronal death. We show that Ama depletion lowers RTK activity by upregulating Sprouty (Sty), a negative regulator of the RTK pathway. Knockdown of Ama blocks oncogenic RTK signaling activation in the Drosophila glioma model and halts malignant transformation. Finally, knockdown of a human ortholog of Ama, LSAMP, results in upregulation of SPROUTY2 in glioblastoma cell lines, suggesting that the relationship between Ama and Sty is conserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majd M Ariss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Alexander R Terry
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Abul B M M K Islam
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Nissim Hay
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Maxim V Frolov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
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Zhang M, Nagaosa K, Nakai Y, Yasugi T, Kushihiki M, Rahmatika D, Sato M, Shiratsuchi A, Nakanishi Y. Role for phagocytosis in the prevention of neoplastic transformation in Drosophila. Genes Cells 2020; 25:675-684. [PMID: 32865275 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Immunity is considered to be involved in the prevention of cancer. Although both humoral and cellular immune reactions may participate, underlying mechanisms have yet to be clarified. The present study was conducted to clarify this issue using a Drosophila model, in which neoplastic transformation was induced through the simultaneous inhibition of cell-cycle checkpoints and apoptosis. We first determined the location of hemocytes, blood cells of Drosophila playing a role of immune cells, in neoplasia-induced and normal larvae, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. When gene expression pattern in larval hemocytes was determined, the expression of immunity-related genes including those necessary for phagocytosis was reduced in the neoplasia model. We then asked the involvement of phagocytosis in the prevention of neoplasia examining animals where the expression of engulfment receptors instead of apoptosis was retarded. We found that the inhibition of engulfment receptor expression augmented the occurrence of neoplasia induced by a defect in cell-cycle checkpoints. This suggested a role for phagocytosis in the prevention of neoplastic transformation in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhang
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kaz Nagaosa
- Section of Food Sciences, Institute of Regional Innovation, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Yuji Nakai
- Section of Food Sciences, Institute of Regional Innovation, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Yasugi
- Mathematical Neuroscience Unit, Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Masako Kushihiki
- Section of Food Sciences, Institute of Regional Innovation, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Dini Rahmatika
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Makoto Sato
- Mathematical Neuroscience Unit, Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Akiko Shiratsuchi
- Department of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Center for Medical Education, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan
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Basic and Translational Models of Cooperative Oncogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165919. [PMID: 32824656 PMCID: PMC7460600 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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Kamdem JP, Duarte AE, Ibrahim M, Lukong KE, Barros LM, Roeder T. Bibliometric analysis of personalized humanized mouse and Drosophila models for effective combinational therapy in cancer patients. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165880. [PMID: 32592936 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Research performed using model organisms such as mice and the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster has significantly enhanced our knowledge about cancer biology and the fundamental processes of cancer. This is because the major biological properties and genes associated with cancer including signaling pathways, oncogenes, tumor suppressors, and other regulators of cell growth and proliferation are evolutionary conserved. This review provides bibliometric analysis of research productivity, and performance of authors, institutions, countries, and journals associated with personalized animal cancer models, focussing on the role of Drosophila in cancer research, thus highlighting emerging trends in the field. A total of 1469 and 2672 original articles and reviews for Drosophila cancer model and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) respectively, were retrieved from the Scopus database and the most cited papers were thoroughly analyzed. Our analysis indicates a steadily increasing productivity of the animal models and especially of mouse models in cancer research. In addition to the many different systems that address almost all aspects of tumor research in humanized animal models, a trend towards using tailored screening platforms with Drosophila models in particular will become widespread in the future. Having Drosophila models that recapitulate major genetic aspects of a given tumor will enable the development and validation of novel therapeutic strategies for specific cancers, and provide a platform for screening small molecule inhibitors and other anti-tumor compounds. The combination of Drosophila cancer models and mouse PDX models particularly is highly promising and should be one of the major research strategies the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Paul Kamdem
- Department of Biological Sciences, Regional University of Cariri, Campus Pimenta, Crato, Ceara CEP: 63105-000, Brazil.
| | - Antonia Eliene Duarte
- Department of Biological Sciences, Regional University of Cariri, Campus Pimenta, Crato, Ceara CEP: 63105-000, Brazil
| | - Mohammad Ibrahim
- Department of Chemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM), KPK, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Kiven Erique Lukong
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology (BMI) College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada.
| | - Luiz Marivando Barros
- Department of Biological Sciences, Regional University of Cariri, Campus Pimenta, Crato, Ceara CEP: 63105-000, Brazil
| | - Thomas Roeder
- Christian-Albrechts Universität zu Kiel, Zoologisches Institut, Molekulare Physiologie, Olshausenstraße 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany; German Center for Lung Research, Airway Research Center North, Kiel, Germany.
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Millet-Boureima C, Selber-Hnatiw S, Gamberi C. Drug discovery and chemical probing in Drosophila. Genome 2020; 64:147-159. [PMID: 32551911 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2020-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Flies are increasingly utilized in drug discovery and chemical probing in vivo, which are novel technologies complementary to genetic probing in fundamental biological studies. Excellent genetic conservation, small size, short generation time, and over one hundred years of genetics make Drosophila an attractive model for rapid assay readout and use of analytical amounts of compound, enabling the experimental iterations needed in early drug development at a fraction of time and costs. Here, we describe an effective drug-testing pipeline using adult flies that can be easily implemented to study several disease models and different genotypes to discover novel molecular insight, probes, quality lead compounds, and develop novel prototype drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Millet-Boureima
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada.,Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Susannah Selber-Hnatiw
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada.,Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Chiara Gamberi
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada.,Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
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Strategies for Functional Interrogation of Big Cancer Data Using Drosophila Cancer Models. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113754. [PMID: 32466549 PMCID: PMC7312059 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid development of high throughput genome analysis technologies accompanied by significant reduction in costs has led to the accumulation of an incredible amount of data during the last decade. The emergence of big data has had a particularly significant impact in biomedical research by providing unprecedented, systems-level access to many disease states including cancer, and has created promising opportunities as well as new challenges. Arguably, the most significant challenge cancer research currently faces is finding effective ways to use big data to improve our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis and developing effective new therapies. Functional exploration of these datasets and testing predictions from computational approaches using experimental models to interrogate their biological relevance is a key step towards achieving this goal. Given the daunting scale and complexity of the big data available, experimental systems like Drosophila that allow large-scale functional studies and complex genetic manipulations in a rapid, cost-effective manner will be of particular importance for this purpose. Findings from these large-scale exploratory functional studies can then be used to formulate more specific hypotheses to be explored in mammalian models. Here, I will discuss several strategies for functional exploration of big cancer data using Drosophila cancer models.
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Rambur A, Lours-Calet C, Beaudoin C, Buñay J, Vialat M, Mirouse V, Trousson A, Renaud Y, Lobaccaro JMA, Baron S, Morel L, de Joussineau C. Sequential Ras/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways recruitment drives basal extrusion in the prostate-like gland of Drosophila. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2300. [PMID: 32385236 PMCID: PMC7210301 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16123-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most important but less understood step of epithelial tumourigenesis occurs when cells acquire the ability to leave their epithelial compartment. This phenomenon, described as basal epithelial cell extrusion (basal extrusion), represents the first step of tumour invasion. However, due to lack of adequate in vivo model, implication of emblematic signalling pathways such as Ras/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathways, is scarcely described in this phenomenon. We have developed a unique model of basal extrusion in the Drosophila accessory gland. There, we demonstrate that both Ras/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways are necessary for basal extrusion. Furthermore, as in prostate cancer, we show that these pathways are co-activated. This occurs through set up of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and Insulin Receptor (InR) dependent autocrine loops, a phenomenon that, considering human data, could be relevant for prostate cancer. The molecular mechanisms leading to basal extrusion are unclear. Here, the authors use the Drosophila accessory gland to model human prostate acini and show that Ras/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways are co-activated in two autocrine loops by dEGF and dIGF, inducing basal extrusion and subsequent tumour formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandine Rambur
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 58 Boulevard Montalembert, 63009, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Corinne Lours-Calet
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 58 Boulevard Montalembert, 63009, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Claude Beaudoin
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 58 Boulevard Montalembert, 63009, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Julio Buñay
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 58 Boulevard Montalembert, 63009, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Marine Vialat
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 58 Boulevard Montalembert, 63009, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Vincent Mirouse
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Amalia Trousson
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 58 Boulevard Montalembert, 63009, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Yoan Renaud
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Jean-Marc A Lobaccaro
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 58 Boulevard Montalembert, 63009, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Silvère Baron
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 58 Boulevard Montalembert, 63009, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Laurent Morel
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 58 Boulevard Montalembert, 63009, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Cyrille de Joussineau
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD, CNRS UMR 6293, INSERM U1103, 28 place Henri Dunant, BP38, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France. .,Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne, 58 Boulevard Montalembert, 63009, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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Zhou S, Ren M, Xu H, Xia H, Tang Q, Liu M. Inhibition of ISG15 Enhances the Anti-Cancer Effect of Trametinib in Colon Cancer Cells. Onco Targets Ther 2019; 12:10239-10250. [PMID: 32063716 PMCID: PMC6884973 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s226395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. IFN-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), a ubiquitin-like molecule, is strongly up-regulated by type I interferon as a crucial response to a variety of microbial and cellular stress stimuli. However, the role of ISG15 in colon cancer remains unclear. Methods The expression of ISG15 in colon cancer tissues and cell lines was detected by using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. ISG15 expression levels of colon cancer cells treated with trametinib was verified by using the data downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, quantitative real-time PCR analysis and Western blots assays. ISG15-siRNA was used to silence ISG15 in colon cancer cell line to determine the roles of ISG15 in colon cancer cell proliferation. Results ISG15 was highly expressed in colon cancer tissues and ISG15 upregulation was closely associated with poor prognoses in colon cancer patients. Enhanced ISG15 expression promoted the migration and proliferation of colon cancer cells in vitro, while ISG15 knockdown decreased cell proliferation and metastasis. In addition, we first found that the mRNA and protein expression of ISG15 were up-regulated following trametinib treatment. Further investigation showed that ISG15 knockdown could enhance the anti-cancer effect of trametinib in colon cancer cells. Conclusion We proposed an interesting possibility that ISG15 may be a prognostic bio-marker, and the combined targeting of ISG15 and MEK might be a promising therapeutic strategy for colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Zhou
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, People's Republic of China.,Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Meilin Ren
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, People's Republic of China.,Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Huanji Xu
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, People's Republic of China.,Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongwei Xia
- Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiulin Tang
- Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, People's Republic of China
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Mishra-Gorur K, Li D, Ma X, Yarman Y, Xue L, Xu T. Spz/Toll-6 signal guides organotropic metastasis in Drosophila. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm039727. [PMID: 31477571 PMCID: PMC6826028 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.039727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted cell migration plays important roles in developmental biology and disease processes, including in metastasis. Drosophila tumors exhibit traits characteristic of human cancers, providing a powerful model to study developmental and cancer biology. We now find that cells derived from Drosophila eye-disc tumors also display organ-specific metastasis, invading receptive organs but not wing disc. Toll receptors are known to affect innate immunity and the tumor inflammatory microenvironment by modulating the NF-κB pathway. Our RNA interference (RNAi) screen and genetic analyses show that Toll-6 is required for migration and invasion of the tumor cells. Further, receptive organs express Toll ligands [Spätzle (Spz) family molecules], and ectopic Spz expression renders the wing disc receptive to metastasis. Finally, Toll-6 promotes metastasis by activating JNK signaling, a key regulator of cell migration. Hence, we report Toll-6 and Spz as a new pair of guidance molecules mediating organ-specific metastatic behavior and highlight a novel signaling mechanism for Toll-family receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ketu Mishra-Gorur
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Daming Li
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Xianjue Ma
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Yanki Yarman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Lei Xue
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Signaling and Diseases, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Tian Xu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou 310024, China
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Prange R, Thiedmann M, Bhandari A, Mishra N, Sinha A, Häsler R, Rosenstiel P, Uliczka K, Wagner C, Yildirim AÖ, Fink C, Roeder T. A Drosophila model of cigarette smoke induced COPD identifies Nrf2 signaling as an expedient target for intervention. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 10:2122-2135. [PMID: 30153653 PMCID: PMC6128429 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is among the most important causes of death. Signaling systems that are relevant for tissue repair and detoxification of reactive oxygen species or xenobiotics are thought to be impaired in lungs of patients suffering from this disease. Here, we developed a simple cigarette smoke induced Drosophila model of COPD based on chronic cigarette smoke exposure that recapitulates major pathological hallmarks of the disease and thus can be used to investigate new therapeutic strategies. Chronic cigarette smoke exposure led to premature death of the animals and induced a set of phenotypes reminiscent of those seen in COPD patients, including reduced physical activity, reduced body fat, increased metabolic rate and a substantial reduction of the respiratory surface. A detailed transcriptomic analysis revealed that especially the TGF-β, Nrf2 and the JAK/STAT signaling pathways are altered by chronic cigarette smoke exposure. Based on these results, we focused on Nrf2 signaling. A pharmacological intervention study performed with oltipraz, an activator of Nrf2 signaling, increased survival of cigarette smoke exposed animals significantly. Thus, the Drosophila COPD model recapitulates many major hallmarks of COPD and it is highly useful to evaluate the potential of alternative therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Prange
- Kiel University, Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel, Germany
| | - Marcus Thiedmann
- Kiel University, Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel, Germany
| | - Anita Bhandari
- Kiel University, Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel, Germany.,University zu Lübeck, Institute for Cardiogenetics, Lübeck, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Karin Uliczka
- Research Center Borstel, Invertebrate Models, Borstel, Germany
| | | | - Ali Önder Yildirim
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany.,CPC-M, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Christine Fink
- Kiel University, Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel, Germany.,Airway Research Center North, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Thomas Roeder
- Kiel University, Zoology, Department of Molecular Physiology, Kiel, Germany.,Airway Research Center North, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany
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Fereres S, Hatori R, Hatori M, Kornberg TB. Cytoneme-mediated signaling essential for tumorigenesis. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008415. [PMID: 31568500 PMCID: PMC6786653 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Communication between neoplastic cells and cells of their microenvironment is critical to cancer progression. To investigate the role of cytoneme-mediated signaling as a mechanism for distributing growth factor signaling proteins between tumor and tumor-associated cells, we analyzed EGFR and RET Drosophila tumor models and tested several genetic loss-of-function conditions that impair cytoneme-mediated signaling. Neuroglian, capricious, Irk2, SCAR, and diaphanous are genes that cytonemes require during normal development. Neuroglian and Capricious are cell adhesion proteins, Irk2 is a potassium channel, and SCAR and Diaphanous are actin-binding proteins, and the only process to which they are known to contribute jointly is cytoneme-mediated signaling. We observed that diminished function of any one of these genes suppressed tumor growth and increased organism survival. We also noted that EGFR-expressing tumor discs have abnormally extensive tracheation (respiratory tubes) and ectopically express Branchless (Bnl, a FGF) and FGFR. Bnl is a known inducer of tracheation that signals by a cytoneme-mediated process in other contexts, and we determined that exogenous over-expression of dominant negative FGFR suppressed tumor growth. Our results are consistent with the idea that cytonemes move signaling proteins between tumor and stromal cells and that cytoneme-mediated signaling is required for tumor growth and malignancy. The growth of many types of tumors depend on productive interactions with stromal, non-tumor neighbors, and although there is evidence that tumor and stromal cells exchange signaling proteins and growth factors that they produce, the mechanism by which these proteins move between the signaling cells has not been investigated and is not known. Our previous work has shown that normal cells make transient chemical synapses at sites where specialized filopodia called cytonemes contact signaling partners, and in this work we explore the possibility that tumors use the same mechanism to communicate with stromal cells. We show that cytoneme-mediated signaling is essential for growth of Drosophila tumors that model human EGFR over-expression and RET-driven disease. Remarkably, inhibition of cytonemes cures flies of lethal tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sol Fereres
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Ryo Hatori
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Makiko Hatori
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Thomas B. Kornberg
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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A triple drug combination targeting components of the nutrient-sensing network maximizes longevity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:20817-20819. [PMID: 31570569 PMCID: PMC6800352 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1913212116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing life expectancy is causing the prevalence of age-related diseases to rise, and there is an urgent need for new strategies to improve health at older ages. Reduced activity of insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS) and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) nutrient-sensing signaling network can extend lifespan and improve health during aging in diverse organisms. However, the extensive feedback in this network and adverse side effects of inhibition imply that simultaneous targeting of specific effectors in the network may most effectively combat the effects of aging. We show that the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor trametinib, the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitor rapamycin, and the glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) inhibitor lithium act additively to increase longevity in Drosophila Remarkably, the triple drug combination increased lifespan by 48%. Furthermore, the combination of lithium with rapamycin cancelled the latter's effects on lipid metabolism. In conclusion, a polypharmacology approach of combining established, prolongevity drug inhibitors of specific nodes may be the most effective way to target the nutrient-sensing network to improve late-life health.
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Zhou S, Xu H, Tang Q, Xia H, Bi F. Dipyridamole Enhances the Cytotoxicities of Trametinib against Colon Cancer Cells through Combined Targeting of HMGCS1 and MEK Pathway. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 19:135-146. [PMID: 31554653 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Both the MAPK pathway and mevalonate (MVA) signaling pathway play an increasingly significant role in the carcinogenesis of colorectal carcinoma, whereas the cross-talk between these two pathways and its implication in targeted therapy remains unclear in colorectal carcinoma. Here, we identified that HMGCS1 (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 1), the rate-limiting enzyme of the MVA pathway, is overexpressed in colon cancer tissues and positively regulates the cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells. In addition, HMGCS1 could enhance the activity of pERK independent of the MVA pathway, and the suppression of HMGCS1 could completely reduce the EGF-induced proliferation of colon cancer cells. Furthermore, we found that trametinib, a MEK inhibitor, could only partially abolish the upregulation of HMGCS1 induced by EGF treatment, while combination with HMGCS1 knockdown could completely reverse the upregulation of HMGCS1 induced by EGF treatment and increase the sensitivity of colon cancer cells to trametinib. Finally, we combined trametinib and dipyridamole, a common clinically used drug that could suppress the activity of SREBF2 (sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 2), a transcription factor regulating HMGCS1 expression, and identified its synergistic effect in inhibiting the proliferation and survival of colon cancer cells in vitro as well as the in vivo tumorigenic potential of colon cancer cells. Together, the current data indicated that HMGCS1 may be a novel biomarker, and the combination of targeting HMGCS1 and MEK might be a promising therapeutic strategy for patients with colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Zhou
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Huanji Xu
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qiulin Tang
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Hongwei Xia
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
| | - Feng Bi
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
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Bossen J, Uliczka K, Steen L, Pfefferkorn R, Mai MMQ, Burkhardt L, Spohn M, Bruchhaus I, Fink C, Heine H, Roeder T. An EGFR-Induced Drosophila Lung Tumor Model Identifies Alternative Combination Treatments. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 18:1659-1668. [PMID: 31217165 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality. Mutations in the EGFR gene are among the most important inducers of lung tumor development, but success of personalized therapies is still limited because of toxicity or developing resistances. We expressed constitutively active EGFR (EGFRCA) exclusively in the airway system of Drosophila melanogaster and performed comprehensive phenotyping. Ectopic expression of EGFRCA induced massive hyper- and metaplasia, leading to early death. We used the lethal phenotype as a readout and screened a library of FDA-approved compounds and found that among the 1,000 compounds, only the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) afatinib, gefitinib, and ibrutinib rescued lethality in a whole-animal screening approach. Furthermore, we screened the library in the presence of a subtherapeutic afatinib dose and identified bazedoxifene as a synergistically acting compound that rescues EGFR-induced lethality. Our findings highlight the potential of Drosophila-based whole-animal screening approaches not only to identify specific EGFR inhibitors but also to discover compounds that act synergistically with known TKIs. Moreover, we showed that targeting the EGFR together with STAT-signaling is a promising strategy for lung tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Bossen
- Departments of Molecular Physiology and Zoology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Karin Uliczka
- Research Center Borstel-Leibniz Lung Center, Priority Area Asthma and Allergy, Division of Invertebrate Models, Borstel Germany.,Research Center Borstel-Leibniz Lung Center, Priority Area Asthma and Allergy, Division of Innate Immunity, Borstel, Germany
| | - Line Steen
- Departments of Molecular Physiology and Zoology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Roxana Pfefferkorn
- Departments of Molecular Physiology and Zoology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Mandy Mong-Quyen Mai
- Research Center Borstel-Leibniz Lung Center, Priority Area Asthma and Allergy, Division of Innate Immunity, Borstel, Germany
| | - Lia Burkhardt
- Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, Next Generation Sequencing Technology Platform, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Spohn
- Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, Next Generation Sequencing Technology Platform, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Iris Bruchhaus
- Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Dept. Parasitology, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christine Fink
- Departments of Molecular Physiology and Zoology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany.,Airway Research Center North (ARCN), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Holger Heine
- Research Center Borstel-Leibniz Lung Center, Priority Area Asthma and Allergy, Division of Innate Immunity, Borstel, Germany. .,Airway Research Center North (ARCN), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Thomas Roeder
- Departments of Molecular Physiology and Zoology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany. .,Airway Research Center North (ARCN), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Grosshansdorf, Germany
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Cagan RL, Zon LI, White RM. Modeling Cancer with Flies and Fish. Dev Cell 2019; 49:317-324. [PMID: 31063751 PMCID: PMC6506185 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cancer has joined heart disease as the leading source of mortality in the US. In an era of organoids, patient-derived xenografts, and organs on a chip, model organisms continue to thrive with a combination of powerful genetic tools, rapid pace of discovery, and affordability. Model organisms enable the analysis of both the tumor and its associated microenvironment, aspects that are particularly relevant to our understanding of metastasis and drug resistance. In this Perspective, we explore some of the strengths of fruit flies and zebrafish for addressing fundamental cancer questions and how these two organisms can contribute to identifying promising therapeutic candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross L Cagan
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Leonard I Zon
- Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Richard M White
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
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Su TT. Drug screening in Drosophila; why, when, and when not? WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2019; 8:e346. [PMID: 31056843 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The best global seller among oncology drugs in 2018 is lenalidomide, an analog of thalidomide. It took 53 years and a circuitous route from the discovery of thalidomide to approval of an analog for use in treatment of cancer. We understand now a lot more about the genetic and molecular basis of diseases than we did in 1953 when thalidomide was discovered. We have also no shortage of chemical libraries with hundreds of thousands of compounds, both synthetic and natural. What we need are better ways to search among these rich resources for compounds with the potential to do what we want them to do. This review summarizes examples from the literature that make Drosophila melanogaster a good model to screen for drugs, and discusses knowledge gaps and technical challenges that make Drosophila models not as widely used as they could or should be. This article is categorized under: Technologies > Analysis of Cell, Tissue, and Animal Phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tin Tin Su
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.,Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
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Ung PMU, Sonoshita M, Scopton AP, Dar AC, Cagan RL, Schlessinger A. Integrated computational and Drosophila cancer model platform captures previously unappreciated chemicals perturbing a kinase network. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1006878. [PMID: 31026276 PMCID: PMC6506148 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila provides an inexpensive and quantitative platform for measuring whole animal drug response. A complementary approach is virtual screening, where chemical libraries can be efficiently screened against protein target(s). Here, we present a unique discovery platform integrating structure-based modeling with Drosophila biology and organic synthesis. We demonstrate this platform by developing chemicals targeting a Drosophila model of Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC) characterized by a transformation network activated by oncogenic dRetM955T. Structural models for kinases relevant to MTC were generated for virtual screening to identify unique preliminary hits that suppressed dRetM955T-induced transformation. We then combined features from our hits with those of known inhibitors to create a ‘hybrid’ molecule with improved suppression of dRetM955T transformation. Our platform provides a framework to efficiently explore novel kinase inhibitors outside of explored inhibitor chemical space that are effective in inhibiting cancer networks while minimizing whole body toxicity. Effective and safe treatment of multigenic diseases often involves drugs that address multiple points along disease networks, i.e., polypharmacology. Polypharmacology is increasingly appreciated as a potentially desirable property of kinase drugs. However, most known drugs that interact with multiple targets have been identified as such by chance and most polypharmacological compounds are not chemically unique, resembling structures of known kinase inhibitors. The fruit fly Drosophila provides an inexpensive, rapid, quantitative, whole animal screening platform that has the potential to complement computational approaches. We present a chemical genetics approach that efficiently combines Drosophila with structural prediction and virtual screening, creating a unique discovery platform. We demonstrate the utility of our approach by developing useful small molecules targeting a kinase network in a Drosophila model of Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC) driven by oncogenic dRetM955T.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M U Ung
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Masahiro Sonoshita
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Alex P Scopton
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Arvin C Dar
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Ross L Cagan
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Avner Schlessinger
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
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Xu H, Zhou S, Xia H, Yu H, Tang Q, Bi F. MEK nuclear localization promotes YAP stability via sequestering β-TrCP in KRAS mutant cancer cells. Cell Death Differ 2019; 26:2400-2415. [PMID: 30833665 PMCID: PMC6889282 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-019-0309-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumours manage to survive the ablation of mutant KRAS, despite the development of KRAS-targeted drugs. Here we describe that inhibition of mutant KRAS promotes MEK nuclear localization as an alternative mechanism of KRAS-targeted drugs resistance. Tissue microarray analysis in colon tumours shows that aberrant MEK nuclear localization is closely related to YAP levels and tumour malignancy. MEK nuclear localization could sequester β-TrCP from cytoplasmic inactive YAP, then stabilizing YAP. Mutant KRAS restrains MEK within the cytoplasm via IQGAP1, inhibiting MEK nuclear translocation. Trametinib, an allosteric MEK inhibitor, could prevent MEK nuclear localization and subsequently promote YAP degradation. In vitro and in vivo results suggests that inhibition of MEK nuclear localization by trametinib synergizes with KRAS knockdown or deltarasin treatment in suppressing the viability of KRAS mutant colon cancer cells. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms of resistance to KRAS ablation, and suggests novel strategies for the treatment of KRAS-mutant colon cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanji Xu
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610041, China
| | - Sheng Zhou
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610041, China
| | - Hongwei Xia
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610041, China
| | - Huangfei Yu
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610041, China
| | - Qiulin Tang
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610041, China
| | - Feng Bi
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610041, China.
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Mirzoyan Z, Sollazzo M, Allocca M, Valenza AM, Grifoni D, Bellosta P. Drosophila melanogaster: A Model Organism to Study Cancer. Front Genet 2019; 10:51. [PMID: 30881374 PMCID: PMC6405444 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a multistep disease driven by the activation of specific oncogenic pathways concomitantly with the loss of function of tumor suppressor genes that act as sentinels to control physiological growth. The conservation of most of these signaling pathways in Drosophila, and the ability to easily manipulate them genetically, has made the fruit fly a useful model organism to study cancer biology. In this review we outline the basic mechanisms and signaling pathways conserved between humans and flies responsible of inducing uncontrolled growth and cancer development. Second, we describe classic and novel Drosophila models used to study different cancers, with the objective to discuss their strengths and limitations on their use to identify signals driving growth cell autonomously and within organs, drug discovery and for therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhasmine Mirzoyan
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Manuela Sollazzo
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Allocca
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Grifoni
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paola Bellosta
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.,Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Department of Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
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