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Abdulsahib S, Boswell W, Boswell M, Savage M, Schartl M, Lu Y. Transcriptional background effects on a tumor driver gene in different pigment cell types of medaka. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2024; 342:252-259. [PMID: 37877158 PMCID: PMC11043209 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
The Xiphophorus melanoma receptor kinase gene, xmrk, is a bona fide oncogene driving melanocyte tumorigenesis of Xiphophorus fish. When ectopically expressed in medaka, it not only induces development of several pigment cell tumor types in different strains of medaka but also induces different tumor types within the same animal, suggesting its oncogenic activity has a transcriptomic background effect. Although the central pathways that xmrk utilizes to lead to melanomagenesis are well documented, genes and genetic pathways that modulate the oncogenic effect and alter the course of disease have not been studied so far. To understand how the genetic networks between different histocytes of xmrk-driven tumors are composed, we isolated two types of tumors, melanoma and xanthoerythrophoroma, from the same xmrk transgenic medaka individuals, established the transcriptional profiles of both xmrk-driven tumors, and compared (1) genes that are co-expressed with xmrk in both tumor types, and (2) differentially expressed genes and their associated molecular functions, between the two tumor types. Transcriptomic comparisons between the two tumor types show melanoma and xanthoerythrophoroma are characterized by transcriptional features representing varied functions, indicating distinct molecular interactions between the driving oncogene and the cell-type-specific transcriptomes. Melanoma tumors exhibit gene signatures that are relevant to proliferation and invasion, while xanthoerythrophoroma tumors are characterized by expression profiles related to metabolism and DNA repair. We conclude the transcriptomic backgrounds, exemplified by cell-type-specific genes that are downstream of xmrk effected signaling pathways, contribute the potential to change the course of tumor development and may affect overall tumor outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahad Abdulsahib
- Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 419 Centennial Hall, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
| | - William Boswell
- Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 419 Centennial Hall, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
| | - Mikki Boswell
- Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 419 Centennial Hall, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
| | - Markita Savage
- Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 419 Centennial Hall, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
| | - Manfred Schartl
- Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 419 Centennial Hall, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
- Developmental Biochemistry, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yuan Lu
- Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 419 Centennial Hall, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
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Schartl M, Lu Y. Validity of Xiphophorus fish as models for human disease. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050382. [PMID: 38299666 PMCID: PMC10855230 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Platyfish and swordtails of the genus Xiphophorus provide a well-established model for melanoma research and have become well known for this feature. Recently, modelling approaches for other human diseases in Xiphophorus have been developed or are emerging. This Review provides a comprehensive summary of these models and discusses how findings from basic biological and molecular studies and their translation to medical research demonstrate that Xiphophorus models have face, construct and predictive validity for studying a broad array of human diseases. These models can thus improve our understanding of disease mechanisms to benefit patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred Schartl
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
- Developmental Biochemistry, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg 97074, Germany
| | - Yuan Lu
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
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Beck EA, Healey HM, Small CM, Currey MC, Desvignes T, Cresko WA, Postlethwait JH. Advancing human disease research with fish evolutionary mutant models. Trends Genet 2022; 38:22-44. [PMID: 34334238 PMCID: PMC8678158 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Model organism research is essential to understand disease mechanisms. However, laboratory-induced genetic models can lack genetic variation and often fail to mimic the spectrum of disease severity. Evolutionary mutant models (EMMs) are species with evolved phenotypes that mimic human disease. EMMs complement traditional laboratory models by providing unique avenues to study gene-by-environment interactions, modular mutations in noncoding regions, and their evolved compensations. EMMs have improved our understanding of complex diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and aging, and illuminated mechanisms in many organs. Rapid advancements of sequencing and genome-editing technologies have catapulted the utility of EMMs, particularly in fish. Fish are the most diverse group of vertebrates, exhibiting a kaleidoscope of specialized phenotypes, many that would be pathogenic in humans but are adaptive in the species' specialized habitat. Importantly, evolved compensations can suggest avenues for novel disease therapies. This review summarizes current research using fish EMMs to advance our understanding of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Beck
- Data Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
| | - Hope M Healey
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Clayton M Small
- Data Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Mark C Currey
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Thomas Desvignes
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - William A Cresko
- Data Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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Monroe JD, Basheer F, Gibert Y. Xmrks the Spot: Fish Models for Investigating Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling in Cancer Research. Cells 2021; 10:1132. [PMID: 34067095 PMCID: PMC8150686 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies conducted in several fish species, e.g., Xiphophorus hellerii (green swordtail) and Xiphophorus maculatus (southern platyfish) crosses, Oryzias latipes (medaka), and Danio rerio (zebrafish), have identified an oncogenic role for the receptor tyrosine kinase, Xmrk, a gene product closely related to the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is associated with a wide variety of pathological conditions, including cancer. Comparative analyses of Xmrk and EGFR signal transduction in melanoma have shown that both utilize STAT5 signaling to regulate apoptosis and cell proliferation, PI3K to modulate apoptosis, FAK to control migration, and the Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway to regulate cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Further, Xmrk and EGFR may also modulate similar chemokine, extracellular matrix, oxidative stress, and microRNA signaling pathways in melanoma. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Xmrk and EGFR signaling utilize STAT5 to regulate cell proliferation, and Xmrk may signal through PI3K and FasR to modulate apoptosis. At the same time, both activate the Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway to regulate cell proliferation and E-cadherin signaling. Xmrk models of melanoma have shown that inhibitors of PI3K and MEK have an anti-cancer effect, and in HCC, that the steroidal drug, adrenosterone, can prevent metastasis and recover E-cadherin expression, suggesting that fish Xmrk models can exploit similarities with EGFR signal transduction to identify and study new chemotherapeutic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry D. Monroe
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
| | - Faiza Basheer
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia;
| | - Yann Gibert
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
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Lu Y, Boswell M, Boswell W, Salinas RY, Savage M, Reyes J, Walter S, Marks R, Gonzalez T, Medrano G, Warren WC, Schartl M, Walter RB. Global assessment of organ specific basal gene expression over a diurnal cycle with analyses of gene copies exhibiting cyclic expression patterns. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:787. [PMID: 33176680 PMCID: PMC7659085 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07202-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Studying functional divergences between paralogs that originated from genome duplication is a significant topic in investigating molecular evolution. Genes that exhibit basal level cyclic expression patterns including circadian and light responsive genes are important physiological regulators. Temporal shifts in basal gene expression patterns are important factors to be considered when studying genetic functions. However, adequate efforts have not been applied to studying basal gene expression variation on a global scale to establish transcriptional activity baselines for each organ. Furthermore, the investigation of cyclic expression pattern comparisons between genome duplication created paralogs, and potential functional divergence between them has been neglected. To address these questions, we utilized a teleost fish species, Xiphophorus maculatus, and profiled gene expression within 9 organs at 3-h intervals throughout a 24-h diurnal period. Results Our results showed 1.3–21.9% of genes in different organs exhibited cyclic expression patterns, with eye showing the highest fraction of cycling genes while gonads yielded the lowest. A majority of the duplicated gene pairs exhibited divergences in their basal level expression patterns wherein only one paralog exhibited an oscillating expression pattern, or both paralogs exhibit oscillating expression patterns, but each gene duplicate showed a different peak expression time, and/or in different organs. Conclusions These observations suggest cyclic genes experienced significant sub-, neo-, or non-functionalization following the teleost genome duplication event. In addition, we developed a customized, web-accessible, gene expression browser to facilitate data mining and data visualization for the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Lu
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
| | - Mikki Boswell
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - William Boswell
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Raquel Ybanez Salinas
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Markita Savage
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Jose Reyes
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Sean Walter
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Rebecca Marks
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Trevor Gonzalez
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Geraldo Medrano
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Wesley C Warren
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Manfred Schartl
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.,Developmental Biochemistry, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ronald B Walter
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, 419 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
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Fluorescent Light Incites a Conserved Immune and Inflammatory Genetic Response within Vertebrate Organs ( Danio Rerio, Oryzias Latipes and Mus Musculus). Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10040271. [PMID: 30987199 PMCID: PMC6523474 DOI: 10.3390/genes10040271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescent light (FL) has been utilized for ≈60 years and has become a common artificial light source under which animals, including humans, spend increasing amounts of time. Although the solar spectrum is quite dissimilar in both wavelengths and intensities, the genetic consequences of FL exposure have not been investigated. Herein, we present comparative RNA-Seq results that establish expression patterns within skin, brain, and liver for Danio rerio, Oryzias latipes, and the hairless mouse (Mus musculus) after exposure to FL. These animals represent diurnal and nocturnal lifestyles, and ≈450 million years of evolutionary divergence. In all three organisms, FL induced transcriptional changes of the acute phase response signaling pathway and modulated inflammation and innate immune responses. Our pathway and gene clustering analyses suggest cellular perception of oxidative stress is promoting induction of primary up-stream regulators IL1B and TNF. The skin and brain of the three animals as well as the liver of both fish models all exhibit increased inflammation and immune responses; however, the mouse liver suppressed the same pathways. Overall, the conserved nature of the genetic responses observed after FL exposure, among fishes and a mammal, suggest the presence of light responsive genetic circuitry deeply embedded in the vertebrate genome.
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