Successful growth of fresh retinoblastoma cells in chorioallantoic membrane

Histone Deacetylases in Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma, a pediatric ocular malignancy, presents significant challenges in comprehending its molecular underpinnings and targeted therapeutic approaches. The dysregulated activity of histone deacetylases (HDACs) has been associated with retinoblastoma pathogenesis, influencing critical cellular processes like cell cycle regulation or retinal ganglion cell apoptosis. Through their deacetylase activity, HDACs exert control over key tumor suppressors and oncogenes, influencing the delicate equilibrium between proliferation and cell death. Furthermore, the interplay between HDACs and the retinoblastoma protein pathway, a pivotal aspect of retinoblastoma etiology, reveals a complex network of interactions influencing the tumor microenvironment. The examination of HDAC inhibitors, encompassing both established and novel compounds, offers insights into potential approaches to restore acetylation balance and impede retinoblastoma progression. Moreover, the identification of specific HDAC isoforms exhibiting varying expression in retinoblastoma provides avenues for personalized therapeutic strategies, allowing for interventions tailored to individual patient profiles. This review focuses on the intricate interrelationship between HDACs and retinoblastoma, shedding light on epigenetic mechanisms that control tumor development and progression. The exploration of HDAC-targeted therapies underscores the potential for innovative treatment modalities in the pursuit of more efficacious and personalized management strategies for this disease.

CAM Model: Intriguing Natural Bioreactor for Sustainable Research and Reliable/Versatile Testing

We are witnessing the revival of the CAM model, which has already used been in the past by several researchers studying angiogenesis and anti-cancer drugs and now offers a refined model to fill, in the translational meaning, the gap between in vitro and in vivo studies. It can be used for a wide range of purposes, from testing cytotoxicity, pharmacokinetics, tumorigenesis, and invasion to the action mechanisms of molecules and validation of new materials from tissue engineering research. The CAM model is easy to use, with a fast outcome, and makes experimental research more sustainable since it allows us to replace, reduce, and refine pre-clinical experimentation ("3Rs" rules). This review aims to highlight some unique potential that the CAM-assay presents; in particular, the authors intend to use the CAM model in the future to verify, in a microenvironment comparable to in vivo conditions, albeit simplified, the angiogenic ability of functionalized 3D constructs to be used in regenerative medicine strategies in the recovery of skeletal injuries of critical size (CSD) that do not repair spontaneously. For this purpose, organotypic cultures will be planned on several CAMs set up in temporal sequences, and a sort of organ model for assessing CSD will be utilized in the CAM bioreactor rather than in vivo.