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De Cock L, Bercier V, Van Den Bosch L. New developments in pre-clinical models of ALS to guide translation. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 176:477-524. [PMID: 38802181 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which selective death of motor neurons leads to muscle weakness and paralysis. Most research has focused on understanding and treating monogenic familial forms, most frequently caused by mutations in SOD1, FUS, TARDBP and C9orf72, although ALS is mostly sporadic and without a clear genetic cause. Rodent models have been developed to study monogenic ALS, but despite numerous pre-clinical studies and clinical trials, few disease-modifying therapies are available. ALS is a heterogeneous disease with complex underlying mechanisms where several genes and molecular pathways appear to play a role. One reason for the high failure rate of clinical translation from the current models could be oversimplification in pre-clinical studies. Here, we review advances in pre-clinical models to better capture the heterogeneous nature of ALS and discuss the value of novel model systems to guide translation and aid in the development of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenja De Cock
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Louvain-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valérie Bercier
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Louvain-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Louvain-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium.
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Lindahl G, Fjellander S, Selvaraj K, Vildeval M, Ali Z, Almter R, Erkstam A, Rodriguez GV, Abrahamsson A, Kersley ÅR, Fahlgren A, Kjølhede P, Linder S, Dabrosin C, Jensen L. Zebrafish tumour xenograft models: a prognostic approach to epithelial ovarian cancer. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:53. [PMID: 38413842 PMCID: PMC10899227 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00550-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the gynaecological malignancy with highest mortality. Although adjuvant treatment with carboplatin and paclitaxel leads to an objective response in ~80% of these patients, a majority will relapse within two years. Better methods for assessing long-term treatment outcomes are needed. To address this, we established safe and efficacious doses of carboplatin and paclitaxel using IGROV-1 zebrafish-CDX models. Then fluorescently-labelled cell suspensions from 83 tumour biopsies collected at exploratory laparotomy of women with suspected EOC were generated and 37 (45%) were successfully implanted in zebrafish larvae. Among these 19 of 27 pathology-confirmed EOC samples (70%) engrafted. These zebrafish patient-derived tumour xenograft (ZTX) models were treated with carboplatin or paclitaxel and tumour growth/regression and metastatic dissemination were recorded. In a subgroup of nine patients, four ZTX models regressed during carboplatin treatment. All four corresponding patients had >24 months PFS. Furthermore, both ZTX models established from two patients having <24 months PFS failed to regress during carboplatin treatment. Seven of eight models seeding <6 metastatic cells were established from patients having >24 months PFS. In eleven of fourteen patients, FIGO stage I + II or III tumours gave rise to ZTX models seeding <4 or >4 metastatic cells, respectively. In conclusion, ZTX models predicted patients having >24 or <24 months PFS, based on response/no response to carboplatin. Furthermore, high metastatic dissemination in ZTX models correlated to shorter PFS and more advanced disease at diagnosis. These preliminary results suggest that ZTX models could become a useful prognostic tool in EOC treatment planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Lindahl
- Department of Oncology and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Fjellander
- BioReperia AB, Linköping, Sweden
- Linköping University, Department of Health, Medicine and Care, Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Karthik Selvaraj
- Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping, Sweden
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Annelie Abrahamsson
- Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Åsa Rydmark Kersley
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anna Fahlgren
- BioReperia AB, Linköping, Sweden
- Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Preben Kjølhede
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Stig Linder
- Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Charlotta Dabrosin
- Department of Oncology and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Lasse Jensen
- BioReperia AB, Linköping, Sweden.
- Linköping University, Department of Health, Medicine and Care, Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Linköping, Sweden.
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Thomas JR, Frye WJE, Robey RW, Gottesman MM. Progress in characterizing ABC multidrug transporters in zebrafish. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 72:101035. [PMID: 38141369 PMCID: PMC10843779 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2023.101035] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish have proved to be invaluable for modeling complex physiological processes shared by all vertebrate animals. Resistance of cancers and other diseases to drug treatment can occur owing to expression of the ATP-dependent multidrug transporters ABCB1, ABCG2, and ABCC1, either because of expression of these transporters by the target cells to reduce intracellular concentrations of cytotoxic drugs at barrier sites such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to limit penetration of drugs into privileged compartments, or by affecting the absorption, distribution, and excretion of drugs administered orally, through the skin, or directly into the bloodstream. We describe the drug specificity, cellular localization, and function of zebrafish orthologs of multidrug resistance ABC transporters with the goal of developing zebrafish models to explore the physiological and pathophysiological functions of these transporters. Finally, we provide context demonstrating the utility of zebrafish in studying cancer drug resistance. Our ultimate goal is to improve treatment of cancer and other diseases which are affected by ABC multidrug resistance transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna R Thomas
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - William J E Frye
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Robert W Robey
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael M Gottesman
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Al-Hamaly MA, Turner LT, Rivera-Martinez A, Rodriguez A, Blackburn JS. Zebrafish Cancer Avatars: A Translational Platform for Analyzing Tumor Heterogeneity and Predicting Patient Outcomes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:2288. [PMID: 36768609 PMCID: PMC9916713 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing number of available anti-cancer drugs presents a challenge for oncologists, who must choose the most effective treatment for the patient. Precision cancer medicine relies on matching a drug with a tumor's molecular profile to optimize the therapeutic benefit. However, current precision medicine approaches do not fully account for intra-tumoral heterogeneity. Different mutation profiles and cell behaviors within a single heterogeneous tumor can significantly impact therapy response and patient outcomes. Patient-derived avatar models recapitulate a patient's tumor in an animal or dish and provide the means to functionally assess heterogeneity's impact on drug response. Mouse xenograft and organoid avatars are well-established, but the time required to generate these models is not practical for clinical decision-making. Zebrafish are emerging as a time-efficient and cost-effective cancer avatar model. In this review, we highlight recent developments in zebrafish cancer avatar models and discuss the unique features of zebrafish that make them ideal for the interrogation of cancer heterogeneity and as part of precision cancer medicine pipelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majd A. Al-Hamaly
- Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40356, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Logan T. Turner
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40356, USA
| | | | - Analiz Rodriguez
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Jessica S. Blackburn
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40356, USA
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