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Arner A, Ettinger A, Blaser BW, Schmid B, Jeremias I, Rostam N, Binder-Blaser V. In vivo monitoring of leukemia-niche interactions in a zebrafish xenograft model. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0309415. [PMID: 39213296 PMCID: PMC11364250 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of malignancy in children. ALL prognosis after initial diagnosis is generally good; however, patients suffering from relapse have a poor outcome. The tumor microenvironment is recognized as an important contributor to relapse, yet the cell-cell interactions involved are complex and difficult to study in traditional experimental models. In the present study, we established an innovative larval zebrafish xenotransplantation model, that allows the analysis of leukemic cells (LCs) within an orthotopic niche using time-lapse microscopic and flow cytometric approaches. LCs homed, engrafted and proliferated within the hematopoietic niche at the time of transplant, the caudal hematopoietic tissue (CHT). A specific dissemination pattern of LCs within the CHT was recorded, as they extravasated over time and formed clusters close to the dorsal aorta. Interactions of LCs with macrophages and endothelial cells could be quantitatively characterized. This zebrafish model will allow the quantitative analysis of LCs in a functional and complex microenvironment, to study mechanisms of niche mediated leukemogenesis, leukemia maintenance and relapse development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Arner
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Ettinger
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells, Helmholtz Centre Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Bradley Wayne Blaser
- Division of Hematology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Bettina Schmid
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
| | - Irmela Jeremias
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU), Munich, Germany
- Research Unit Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Helmholtz Centre Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Nadia Rostam
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU), Munich, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
| | - Vera Binder-Blaser
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU), Munich, Germany
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2
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Luo H, Li Q, Hong J, Huang Z, Deng W, Wei K, Lu S, Wang H, Zhang W, Liu W. Targeting TNF/IL-17/MAPK pathway in h E2A-PBX1 leukemia: effects of OUL35, KJ-Pyr-9, and CID44216842. Haematologica 2024; 109:2092-2110. [PMID: 38385270 PMCID: PMC11215385 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2023.283647] [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: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
t(1;19)(q23;p13) is one of the most common translocation genes in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and is also present in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and mixed-phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL). This translocation results in the formation of the oncogenic E2A-PBX1 fusion protein, which contains a trans-activating domain from E2A and a DNA-binding homologous domain from PBX1. Despite its clear oncogenic potential, the pathogenesis of E2A-PBX1 fusion protein is not fully understood (especially in leukemias other than ALL), and effective targeted clinical therapies have not been developed. To address this, we established a stable and heritable zebrafish line expressing human E2A-PBX1 (hE2A-PBX1) for high-throughput drug screening. Blood phenotype analysis showed that hE2A-PBX1 expression induced myeloid hyperplasia by increasing myeloid differentiation propensity of hematopoietic stem cells (HSPC) and myeloid proliferation in larvae, and progressed to AML in adults. Mechanistic studies revealed that hE2A-PBX1 activated the TNF/IL-17/MAPK signaling pathway in blood cells and induced myeloid hyperplasia by upregulating the expression of runx1. Interestingly, through high-throughput drug screening, three small molecules targeting the TNF/IL-17/MAPK signaling pathway were identified, including OUL35, KJ-Pyr-9, and CID44216842, which not only alleviated the hE2A-PBX1-induced myeloid hyperplasia in zebrafish but also inhibited the growth and oncogenicity of human pre-B ALL cells with E2A-PBX1. Overall, this study provides a novel hE2APBX1 transgenic zebrafish leukemia model and identifies potential targeted therapeutic drugs, which may offer new insights into the treatment of E2A-PBX1 leukemia.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Humans
- Animals, Genetically Modified
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
- Cell Proliferation/drug effects
- Homeodomain Proteins
- Leukemia/genetics
- Leukemia/metabolism
- Leukemia/drug therapy
- Leukemia/pathology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/metabolism
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology
- MAP Kinase Signaling System/drug effects
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/metabolism
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism
- Zebrafish
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiping Luo
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006
| | - Qiqi Li
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006
| | - Jiaxin Hong
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006
| | - Zhibin Huang
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006
| | - Wenhui Deng
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006
| | - Kunpeng Wei
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006
| | - Siyu Lu
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006
| | - Hailong Wang
- KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Basic Research, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou 510320
| | - Wenqing Zhang
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006.
| | - Wei Liu
- Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006.
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3
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El Omar R, Abdellaoui N, Coulibaly ST, Fontenille L, Lanza F, Gachet C, Freund JN, Negroni M, Kissa K, Tavian M. Macrophage depletion overcomes human hematopoietic cell engraftment failure in zebrafish embryo. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:305. [PMID: 38693109 PMCID: PMC11063059 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06682-x] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Zebrafish is widely adopted as a grafting model for studying human development and diseases. Current zebrafish xenotransplantations are performed using embryo recipients, as the adaptive immune system, responsible for host versus graft rejection, only reaches maturity at juvenile stage. However, transplanted primary human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSC) rapidly disappear even in zebrafish embryos, suggesting that another barrier to transplantation exists before the onset of adaptive immunity. Here, using a labelled macrophage zebrafish line, we demonstrated that engraftment of human HSC induces a massive recruitment of macrophages which rapidly phagocyte transplanted cells. Macrophages depletion, by chemical or pharmacological treatments, significantly improved the uptake and survival of transplanted cells, demonstrating the crucial implication of these innate immune cells for the successful engraftment of human cells in zebrafish. Beyond identifying the reasons for human hematopoietic cell engraftment failure, this work images the fate of human cells in real time over several days in macrophage-depleted zebrafish embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reine El Omar
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, EFS Grand-Est, BPPS UMR-S1255, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Lorraine, CITHEFOR, F-54505, Vandoeuvre Les Nancy, France
| | | | - Safiatou T Coulibaly
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Strasbourg, France
- ITI Innovec, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - François Lanza
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, EFS Grand-Est, BPPS UMR-S1255, Strasbourg, France
| | - Christian Gachet
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, EFS Grand-Est, BPPS UMR-S1255, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jean-Noel Freund
- ITI Innovec, Strasbourg, France
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, IRFAC/UMR-S1113, Strasbourg, France
- INSERM, U1256 - NGERE, Université de Lorraine, 54500, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Matteo Negroni
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR 9002, Strasbourg, France
- ITI Innovec, Strasbourg, France
| | - Karima Kissa
- University of Montpellier, VBIC, INSERM U1047, Montpellier, France
- AZELEAD SAS, Montpellier, France
| | - Manuela Tavian
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, EFS Grand-Est, BPPS UMR-S1255, Strasbourg, France.
- ITI Innovec, Strasbourg, France.
- University of Strasbourg, INSERM, IRFAC/UMR-S1113, Strasbourg, France.
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4
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Fontana CM, Van Doan H. Zebrafish xenograft as a tool for the study of colorectal cancer: a review. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:23. [PMID: 38195619 PMCID: PMC10776567 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06291-0] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death, mostly due to metastatic disease and the fact that many patients already show signs of metastasis at the time of first diagnosis. Current CRC therapies negatively impact patients' quality of life and have little to no effect on combating the tumor once the dissemination has started. Danio rerio (zebrafish) is a popular animal model utilized in cancer research. One of its main advantages is the ease of xenograft transplantation due to the fact that zebrafish larvae lack the adaptative immune system, guaranteeing the impossibility of rejection. In this review, we have presented the many works that choose zebrafish xenograft as a tool for the study of CRC, highlighting the methods used as well as the promising new therapeutic molecules that have been identified due to this animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Maria Fontana
- Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Office of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Hien Van Doan
- Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
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5
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Singhal SS, Garg R, Mohanty A, Garg P, Ramisetty SK, Mirzapoiazova T, Soldi R, Sharma S, Kulkarni P, Salgia R. Recent Advancement in Breast Cancer Research: Insights from Model Organisms-Mouse Models to Zebrafish. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15112961. [PMID: 37296923 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models have been utilized for decades to investigate the causes of human diseases and provide platforms for testing novel therapies. Indeed, breakthrough advances in genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models and xenograft transplantation technologies have dramatically benefited in elucidating the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of multiple diseases, including cancer. The currently available GEM models have been employed to assess specific genetic changes that underlay many features of carcinogenesis, including variations in tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and drug resistance. In addition, mice models render it easier to locate tumor biomarkers for the recognition, prognosis, and surveillance of cancer progression and recurrence. Furthermore, the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model, which involves the direct surgical transfer of fresh human tumor samples to immunodeficient mice, has contributed significantly to advancing the field of drug discovery and therapeutics. Here, we provide a synopsis of mouse and zebrafish models used in cancer research as well as an interdisciplinary 'Team Medicine' approach that has not only accelerated our understanding of varied aspects of carcinogenesis but has also been instrumental in developing novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharad S Singhal
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Rachana Garg
- Department of Surgery, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Atish Mohanty
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Pankaj Garg
- Department of Chemistry, GLA University, Mathura 281406, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sravani Keerthi Ramisetty
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Tamara Mirzapoiazova
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Raffaella Soldi
- Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85338, USA
| | - Sunil Sharma
- Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85338, USA
| | - Prakash Kulkarni
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
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6
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Li X, Li M. The application of zebrafish patient-derived xenograft tumor models in the development of antitumor agents. Med Res Rev 2023; 43:212-236. [PMID: 36029178 DOI: 10.1002/med.21924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The cost of antitumor drug development is enormous, yet the clinical outcomes are less than satisfactory. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop effective drug screening methods that enable accurate, rapid, and high-throughput discovery of lead compounds in the process of preclinical antitumor drug research. An effective solution is to use the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumor animal models, which are applicable for the elucidation of tumor pathogenesis and the preclinical testing of novel antitumor compounds. As a promising screening model organism, zebrafish has been widely applied in the construction of the PDX tumor model and the discovery of antineoplastic agents. Herein, we systematically survey the recent cutting-edge advances in zebrafish PDX models (zPDX) for studies of pathogenesis mechanisms and drug screening. In addition, the techniques used in the construction of zPDX are summarized. The advantages and limitations of the zPDX are also discussed in detail. Finally, the prospects of zPDX in drug discovery, translational medicine, and clinical precision medicine treatment are well presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Minyong Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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7
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Yi ZN, Chen XK, Ma ACH. Modeling leukemia with zebrafish (Danio rerio): Towards precision medicine. Exp Cell Res 2022; 421:113401. [PMID: 36306826 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer characterized by high genetic heterogeneity and fatality. While chemotherapy remains the primary form of treatment for leukemia, its effectiveness was profoundly diminished by the genetic heterogeneity and cytogenetic abnormalities of leukemic cells. Therefore, there is an unmet need to develop precision medicine for leukemia with distinct genetic backgrounds. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a freshwater fish with exceptional feasibility in genome editing, is a powerful tool for rapid human cancer modeling. In the past decades, zebrafish have been adopted in modeling human leukemia, exploring the molecular mechanisms of underlying genetic abnormalities, and discovering novel therapeutic agents. Although many recurrent mutations of leukemia have been modeled in zebrafish for pathological study and drug discovery, its great potential in leukemia modeling was not yet fully exploited, particularly in precision medicine. In this review, we evaluated the current zebrafish models of leukemia/pre-leukemia and genetic techniques and discussed the potential of zebrafish models with novel techniques, which may contribute to the development of zebrafish as a disease model for precision medicine in treating leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Ni Yi
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiang-Ke Chen
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alvin Chun-Hang Ma
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
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8
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Dudziak K, Nowak M, Sozoniuk M. One Host-Multiple Applications: Zebrafish ( Danio rerio) as Promising Model for Studying Human Cancers and Pathogenic Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:10255. [PMID: 36142160 PMCID: PMC9499349 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, zebrafish (ZF) has been increasingly applied as a model in human disease studies, with a particular focus on cancer. A number of advantages make it an attractive alternative for mice widely used so far. Due to the many advantages of zebrafish, modifications can be based on different mechanisms and the induction of human disease can take different forms depending on the research goal. Genetic manipulation, tumor transplantation, or injection of the pathogen are only a few examples of using ZF as a model. Most of the studies are conducted in order to understand the disease mechanism, monitor disease progression, test new or alternative therapies, and select the best treatment. The transplantation of cancer cells derived from patients enables the development of personalized medicine. To better mimic a patient's body environment, immune-deficient models (SCID) have been developed. A lower immune response is mostly generated by genetic manipulation but also by irradiation or dexamethasone treatment. For many studies, using SCID provides a better chance to avoid cancer cell rejection. In this review, we describe the main directions of using ZF in research, explain why and how zebrafish can be used as a model, what kind of limitations will be met and how to overcome them. We collected recent achievements in this field, indicating promising perspectives for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Dudziak
- Chair and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland
| | - Michał Nowak
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - Magdalena Sozoniuk
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
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9
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Quadri M, Marconi A, Sandhu SK, Kiss A, Efimova T, Palazzo E. Investigating Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma in vitro and in vivo: Novel 3D Tools and Animal Models. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:875517. [PMID: 35646967 PMCID: PMC9131878 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.875517] [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: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC) represents the second most common type of skin cancer, which incidence is continuously increasing worldwide. Given its high frequency, cSCC represents a major public health problem. Therefore, to provide the best patients’ care, it is necessary having a detailed understanding of the molecular processes underlying cSCC development, progression, and invasion. Extensive efforts have been made in developing new models allowing to study the molecular pathogenesis of solid tumors, including cSCC tumors. Traditionally, in vitro studies were performed with cells grown in a two-dimensional context, which, however, does not represent the complexity of tumor in vivo. In the recent years, new in vitro models have been developed aiming to mimic the three-dimensionality (3D) of the tumor, allowing the evaluation of tumor cell-cell and tumor-microenvironment interaction in an in vivo-like setting. These models include spheroids, organotypic cultures, skin reconstructs and organoids. Although 3D models demonstrate high potential to enhance the overall knowledge in cancer research, they lack systemic components which may be solved only by using animal models. Zebrafish is emerging as an alternative xenotransplant model in cancer research, offering a high-throughput approach for drug screening and real-time in vivo imaging to study cell invasion. Moreover, several categories of mouse models were developed for pre-clinical purpose, including xeno- and syngeneic transplantation models, autochthonous models of chemically or UV-induced skin squamous carcinogenesis, and genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of cSCC. These models have been instrumental in examining the molecular mechanisms of cSCC and drug response in an in vivo setting. The present review proposes an overview of in vitro, particularly 3D, and in vivo models and their application in cutaneous SCC research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marika Quadri
- DermoLAB, Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Alessandra Marconi
- DermoLAB, Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Simran K Sandhu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States.,The George Washington Cancer Center, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States.,Department of Dermatology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Alexi Kiss
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States.,The George Washington Cancer Center, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Tatiana Efimova
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States.,The George Washington Cancer Center, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States.,Department of Dermatology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Elisabetta Palazzo
- DermoLAB, Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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10
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Precision Medicine in Head and Neck Cancers: Genomic and Preclinical Approaches. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12060854. [PMID: 35743639 PMCID: PMC9224778 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12060854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) represent the sixth most widespread malignancy worldwide. Surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic drugs represent the main clinical approaches for HNC patients. Moreover, HNCs are characterised by an elevated mutational load; however, specific genetic mutations or biomarkers have not yet been found. In this scenario, personalised medicine is showing its efficacy. To study the reliability and the effects of personalised treatments, preclinical research can take advantage of next-generation sequencing and innovative technologies that have been developed to obtain genomic and multi-omic profiles to drive personalised treatments. The crosstalk between malignant and healthy components, as well as interactions with extracellular matrices, are important features which are responsible for treatment failure. Preclinical research has constantly implemented in vitro and in vivo models to mimic the natural tumour microenvironment. Among them, 3D systems have been developed to reproduce the tumour mass architecture, such as biomimetic scaffolds and organoids. In addition, in vivo models have been changed over the last decades to overcome problems such as animal management complexity and time-consuming experiments. In this review, we will explore the new approaches aimed to improve preclinical tools to study and apply precision medicine as a therapeutic option for patients affected by HNCs.
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11
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Zeng M, Pi C, Li K, Sheng L, Zuo Y, Yuan J, Zou Y, Zhang X, Zhao W, Lee RJ, Wei Y, Zhao L. Patient-Derived Xenograft: A More Standard "Avatar" Model in Preclinical Studies of Gastric Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:898563. [PMID: 35664756 PMCID: PMC9161630 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.898563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, gastric cancer remains the third most common cause of cancer-related death in humans. The establishment of relevant animal models of gastric cancer is critical for further research. Due to the complexity of the tumor microenvironment and the genetic heterogeneity of gastric cancer, the commonly used preclinical animal models fail to adequately represent clinically relevant models of gastric cancer. However, patient-derived models are able to replicate as much of the original inter-tumoral and intra-tumoral heterogeneity of gastric cancer as possible, reflecting the cellular interactions of the tumor microenvironment. In addition to implanting patient tissues or primary cells into immunodeficient mouse hosts for culture, the advent of alternative hosts such as humanized mouse hosts, zebrafish hosts, and in vitro culture modalities has also facilitated the advancement of gastric cancer research. This review highlights the current status, characteristics, interfering factors, and applications of patient-derived models that have emerged as more valuable preclinical tools for studying the progression and metastasis of gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingtang Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Chao Pi
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ke Li
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Lin Sheng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ying Zuo
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Department of Comprehensive Medicine, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jiyuan Yuan
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Clinical Trial Center, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yonggen Zou
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiaomei Zhang
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Institute of Medicinal Chemistry of Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Academy of Chinese MateriaMedica, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenmei Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Robert J. Lee
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Yumeng Wei
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ling Zhao
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Diseases Jointly Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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12
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Wu JQ, Fan RY, Zhai J, Li CY, Wei P, Shen LZ, He MF, Wang P, Huang XE. Docetaxel and 5-FU enhanced the inhibitory effects of apatinib and ramucirumab on growth and migration of gastric cancer. Life Sci 2022; 296:120439. [PMID: 35235851 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. The clinical benefit of anti-angiogenic strategy as a single drug is limited. Some studies showed that the combination of anti-angiogenic therapy and chemotherapy exhibited synergistic effect and reduced the side effects of chemotherapy drugs. We investigated the combined effects of these two types of drugs in gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. METHODS cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were evaluated by CCK-8, wound-healing, transwell, and Annexin V-FITC/PI assay, respectively. In vivo anti-cancer efficacy was tested for the cell proliferation and metastasis in cell line derived tumor xenograft (CDX) model and patient derived tumor xenografted (PDX) model based on Tg (fli-1: EGFP) zebrafish embryos; RESULTS: In the cell experiments, the combination of the two types of drugs could inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of gastric cancer cells and promote apoptosis through VEGFR-2/AKT/ERK1/2 signal. In the zebrafish CDX (zCDX) model and zebrafish PDX (zPDX) model, the combination of the two treatment also showed a synergistic effect in inhibiting gastric cancer cell metastasis and cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS Apatinib/ramucirumab targeted therapy combined with docetaxel or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) may serve as an effective treatment strategy for patients with advanced gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Qi Wu
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China
| | - Ruo-Yue Fan
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China
| | - Jing Zhai
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Chong-Yong Li
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China
| | - Ping Wei
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China
| | - Li-Zong Shen
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Ming-Fang He
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China.
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Xin-En Huang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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13
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Cascallar M, Alijas S, Pensado-López A, Vázquez-Ríos AJ, Sánchez L, Piñeiro R, de la Fuente M. What Zebrafish and Nanotechnology Can Offer for Cancer Treatments in the Age of Personalized Medicine. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092238. [PMID: 35565373 PMCID: PMC9099873 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer causes millions of deaths each year and thus urgently requires the development of new therapeutic strategies. Nanotechnology-based anticancer therapies are a promising approach, with several formulations already approved and in clinical use. The evaluation of these therapies requires efficient in vivo models to study their behavior and interaction with cancer cells, and to optimize their properties to ensure maximum efficacy and safety. In this way, zebrafish is an important candidate due to its high homology with the human genoma, its large offspring, and the ease in developing specific cancer models. The role of zebrafish as a model for anticancer therapy studies has been highly evidenced, allowing researchers not only to perform drug screenings but also to evaluate novel therapies such as immunotherapies and nanotherapies. Beyond that, zebrafish can be used as an “avatar” model for performing patient-derived xenografts for personalized medicine. These characteristics place zebrafish in an attractive position as a role model for evaluating novel therapies for cancer treatment, such as nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Cascallar
- Nano-Oncology and Translational Therapeutics Group, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), SERGAS, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.C.); (S.A.); (A.J.V.-R.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.P.-L.); (L.S.)
| | - Sandra Alijas
- Nano-Oncology and Translational Therapeutics Group, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), SERGAS, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.C.); (S.A.); (A.J.V.-R.)
| | - Alba Pensado-López
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.P.-L.); (L.S.)
- Center for Research in Molecular Medicine & Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), Campus Vida, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Abi Judit Vázquez-Ríos
- Nano-Oncology and Translational Therapeutics Group, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), SERGAS, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.C.); (S.A.); (A.J.V.-R.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- DIVERSA Technologies S.L., 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Laura Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.P.-L.); (L.S.)
- Preclinical Animal Models Group, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Roberto Piñeiro
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group, Oncomet, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Travesía da Choupana s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - María de la Fuente
- Nano-Oncology and Translational Therapeutics Group, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), SERGAS, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.C.); (S.A.); (A.J.V.-R.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- DIVERSA Technologies S.L., 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-981-955-704
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14
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Sarmiento BE, Callegari S, Ghotme KA, Akle V. Patient-Derived Xenotransplant of CNS Neoplasms in Zebrafish: A Systematic Review. Cells 2022; 11:cells11071204. [PMID: 35406768 PMCID: PMC8998145 DOI: 10.3390/cells11071204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma and neuroblastoma are the most common central nervous system malignant tumors in adult and pediatric populations. Both are associated with poor survival. These tumors are highly heterogeneous, having complex interactions among different cells within the tumor and with the tumor microenvironment. One of the main challenges in the neuro-oncology field is achieving optimal conditions to evaluate a tumor’s molecular genotype and phenotype. In this respect, the zebrafish biological model is becoming an excellent alternative for studying carcinogenic processes and discovering new treatments. This review aimed to describe the results of xenotransplantation of patient-derived CNS tumors in zebrafish models. The reviewed studies show that it is possible to maintain glioblastoma and neuroblastoma primary cell cultures and transplant the cells into zebrafish embryos. The zebrafish is a suitable biological model for understanding tumor progression and the effects of different treatments. This model offers new perspectives in providing personalized care and improving outcomes for patients living with central nervous system tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz E. Sarmiento
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá 11711, Colombia; (B.E.S.); (S.C.)
| | - Santiago Callegari
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá 11711, Colombia; (B.E.S.); (S.C.)
| | - Kemel A. Ghotme
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Bogotá 111071, Colombia;
- Translational Neuroscience Research Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía 250001, Colombia
| | - Veronica Akle
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá 11711, Colombia; (B.E.S.); (S.C.)
- Correspondence:
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15
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Costa B, Estrada MF, Barroso MT, Fior R. Zebrafish Patient-Derived Avatars from Digestive Cancers for Anti-cancer Therapy Screening. Curr Protoc 2022; 2:e415. [PMID: 35436037 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), also called "avatars," are generated by the implantation of human primary tumor cells or tissues into a host animal. Given the complexity and unique characteristics of each tumor, PDXs are models of choice in cancer research and precision medicine. In this context, the zebrafish PDX model (zPDX or zAvatar) has been recognized as a promising in vivo model to directly challenge patient cells with anti-cancer therapies in a personalized manner. The assay relies on the injection of tumor cells from patients into zebrafish embryos to then test and identify the best available drug combination for a particular patient. Compared to mouse PDXs, zAvatar assays take less time and do not require in vitro or in vivo cell expansion. The present article describes how to generate zAvatars from resected digestive cancer from surgeries and how to then use them for anti-cancer therapy screening. We describe the steps for tumor sample collection and cryopreservation, sample preparation and fluorescent labeling for microinjection into zebrafish embryos, drug administration, and analysis of tumor behavior by single-cell confocal imaging. We provide detailed protocols and helpful tips for performing this assay, and we address the technical challenges associated with the workflow. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Patient tumor sample collection and cryopreservation Basic Protocol 2: Generation of zAvatars and anti-cancer treatment Basic Protocol 3: Whole-mount immunofluorescence Basic Protocol 4: Confocal imaging and analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Costa
- Champalimaud Foundation, Champalimaud Research, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta F Estrada
- Champalimaud Foundation, Champalimaud Research, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Rita Fior
- Champalimaud Foundation, Champalimaud Research, Lisbon, Portugal
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16
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Piccolo O, Lincoln JD, Melong N, Orr BC, Fernandez NR, Borsavage J, Berman JN, Robar J, Ha MN. Radiation dose enhancement using gold nanoparticles with a diamond linear accelerator target: a multiple cell type analysis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1559. [PMID: 35091583 PMCID: PMC8799734 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05339-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) is an effective cancer treatment modality, but standard RT often causes collateral damage to nearby healthy tissues. To increase therapeutic ratio, radiosensitization via gold nanoparticles (GNPs) has been shown to be effective. One challenge is that megavoltage beams generated by clinical linear accelerators are poor initiators of the photoelectric effect. Previous computer models predicted that a diamond target beam (DTB) will yield 400% more low-energy photons, increasing the probability of interacting with GNPs to enhance the radiation dose by 7.7-fold in the GNP vicinity. After testing DTB radiation coupled with GNPs in multiple cell types, we demonstrate decreased head-and-neck cancer (HNC) cell viability in vitro and enhanced cell-killing in zebrafish xenografts compared to standard RT. HNC cell lines also displayed increased double-stranded DNA breaks with DTB irradiation in the presence of GNPs. This study presents preclinical responses to GNP-enhanced radiotherapy with the novel DTB, providing the first functional data to support the theoretical evidence for radiosensitization via GNPs in this context, and highlighting the potential of this approach to optimize the efficacy of RT in anatomically difficult-to-treat tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Piccolo
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre/Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - John D Lincoln
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Nicole Melong
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute/Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Benno C Orr
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre/Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Nicholas R Fernandez
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre/Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jennifer Borsavage
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jason N Berman
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre/Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute/Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - James Robar
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Michael N Ha
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
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17
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Preclinical testing of CAR T cells in zebrafish xenografts. Methods Cell Biol 2022; 167:133-147. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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18
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Zeng Y, Zhang X, Lin D, Feng X, Liu Y, Fang Z, Zhang W, Chen Y, Zhao M, Wu J, Jiang L. A lysosome-targeted dextran-doxorubicin nanodrug overcomes doxorubicin-induced chemoresistance of myeloid leukemia. J Hematol Oncol 2021; 14:189. [PMID: 34749790 PMCID: PMC8576957 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-021-01199-8] [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: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypoxic microenvironment is presumed to be a sanctuary for myeloid leukemia cells that causes relapse following chemotherapy, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Using a zebrafish xenograft model, we observed that the hypoxic hematopoietic tissue preserved most of the chemoresistant leukemic cells following the doxorubicin (Dox) treatment. And hypoxia upregulated TFEB, a master regulator of lysosomal biogenesis, and increased lysosomes in leukemic cells. Specimens from relapsed myeloid leukemia patients also harbored excessive lysosomes, which trapped Dox and prevented drug nuclear influx leading to leukemia chemoresistance. Pharmaceutical inhibition of lysosomes enhanced Dox-induced cytotoxicity against leukemic cells under hypoxia circumstance. To overcome lysosome associated chemoresistance, we developed a pH-sensitive dextran-doxorubicin nanomedicine (Dex-Dox) that efficiently released Dox from lysosomes and increased drug nuclear influx. More importantly, Dex-Dox treatment significantly improved the chemotherapy outcome in the zebrafish xenografts transplanted with cultured leukemic cells or relapsed patient specimens. Overall, we developed a novel lysosome targeting nanomedicine that is promising to overcome the myeloid leukemia chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxin Zeng
- Department of Hematology, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- Department of Hematology, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dongjun Lin
- Department of Hematology, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaohui Feng
- Department of Hematology, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuye Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhengwen Fang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weijian Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meng Zhao
- Department of Hematology, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China. .,Key Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Hematology, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China. .,School of Biomedical Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Linjia Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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19
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Molina B, Chavez J, Grainger S. Zebrafish models of acute leukemias: Current models and future directions. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2021; 10:e400. [PMID: 33340278 PMCID: PMC8213871 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemias (AML) and acute lymphoid leukemias (ALL) are heterogenous diseases encompassing a wide array of genetic mutations with both loss and gain of function phenotypes. Ultimately, these both result in the clonal overgrowth of blast cells in the bone marrow, peripheral blood, and other tissues. As a consequence of this, normal hematopoietic stem cell function is severely hampered. Technologies allowing for the early detection of genetic alterations and understanding of these varied molecular pathologies have helped to advance our treatment regimens toward personalized targeted therapies. In spite of this, both AML and ALL continue to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, in part because molecular therapies for the plethora of genetic abnormalities have not been developed. This underscores the current need for better model systems for therapy development. This article reviews the current zebrafish models of AML and ALL and discusses how novel gene editing tools can be implemented to generate better models of acute leukemias. This article is categorized under: Adult Stem Cells, Tissue Renewal, and Regeneration > Stem Cells and Disease Technologies > Perturbing Genes and Generating Modified Animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Molina
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jasmine Chavez
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Stephanie Grainger
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
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20
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ZFTool: A Software for Automatic Quantification of Cancer Cell Mass Evolution in Zebrafish. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11167721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a model organism for the study of human cancer. Compared with the murine model, the zebrafish model has several properties ideal for personalized therapies. The transparency of the zebrafish embryos and the development of the pigment-deficient ”casper“ zebrafish line give the capacity to directly observe cancer formation and progression in the living animal. Automatic quantification of cellular proliferation in vivo is critical to the development of personalized medicine. Methods: A new methodology was defined to automatically quantify the cancer cellular evolution. ZFTool was developed to establish a base threshold that eliminates the embryo autofluorescence, automatically measures the area and intensity of GFP (green-fluorescent protein) marked cells, and defines a proliferation index. Results: The proliferation index automatically computed on different targets demonstrates the efficiency of ZFTool to provide a good automatic quantification of cancer cell evolution and dissemination. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that ZFTool is a reliable tool for the automatic quantification of the proliferation index as a measure of cancer mass evolution in zebrafish, eliminating the influence of its autofluorescence.
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21
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Patton EE, Zon LI, Langenau DM. Zebrafish disease models in drug discovery: from preclinical modelling to clinical trials. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2021; 20:611-628. [PMID: 34117457 PMCID: PMC9210578 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-021-00210-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Numerous drug treatments that have recently entered the clinic or clinical trials have their genesis in zebrafish. Zebrafish are well established for their contribution to developmental biology and have now emerged as a powerful preclinical model for human disease, as their disease characteristics, aetiology and progression, and molecular mechanisms are clinically relevant and highly conserved. Zebrafish respond to small molecules and drug treatments at physiologically relevant dose ranges and, when combined with cell-specific or tissue-specific reporters and gene editing technologies, drug activity can be studied at single-cell resolution within the complexity of a whole animal, across tissues and over an extended timescale. These features enable high-throughput and high-content phenotypic drug screening, repurposing of available drugs for personalized and compassionate use, and even the development of new drug classes. Often, drugs and drug leads explored in zebrafish have an inter-organ mechanism of action and would otherwise not be identified through targeted screening approaches. Here, we discuss how zebrafish is an important model for drug discovery, the process of how these discoveries emerge and future opportunities for maximizing zebrafish potential in medical discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Elizabeth Patton
- MRC Human Genetics Unit and Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Western General Hospital Campus, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Leonard I Zon
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - David M Langenau
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Center of Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Center of Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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22
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Al-Thani HF, Shurbaji S, Yalcin HC. Zebrafish as a Model for Anticancer Nanomedicine Studies. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:625. [PMID: 34203407 PMCID: PMC8308643 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanomedicine is a new approach to fight against cancer by the development of anticancer nanoparticles (NPs) that are of high sensitivity, specificity, and targeting ability to detect cancer cells, such as the ability of Silica NPs in targeting epithelial cancer cells. However, these anticancer NPs require preclinical testing, and zebrafish is a useful animal model for preclinical studies of anticancer NPs. This model affords a large sample size, optical imaging, and easy genetic manipulation that aid in nanomedicine studies. This review summarizes the numerous advantages of the zebrafish animal model for such investigation, various techniques for inducing cancer in zebrafish, and discusses the methods to assess cancer development in the model and to test for the toxicity of the anticancer drugs and NPs. In addition, it summarizes the recent studies that used zebrafish as a model to test the efficacy of several different anticancer NPs in treating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hissa F Al-Thani
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Samar Shurbaji
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Huseyin C Yalcin
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
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23
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Corsinovi D, Usai A, Sarlo MD, Giannaccini M, Ori M. Zebrafish Avatar to Develop Precision Breast Cancer Therapies. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2021; 22:748-759. [PMID: 33797388 DOI: 10.2174/1871520621666210402111634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a vertebrate that has become a popular alternative model for the cellular and molecular study of human tumors and for drug testing and validating approaches. Notably, zebrafish embryos, thanks to their accessibility, allow rapid collection of in vivo results prodromal to validation in the murine models in respect to the 3R principles. The generation of tumor xenograft in zebrafish embryos and larvae, or zebrafish avatar, represents a unique opportunity to study tumor growth, angiogenesis, cell invasion and metastatic dissemination, interaction between tumor and host in vivo avoiding immunogenic rejection, representing a promising platform for the translational research and personalized therapies. OBJECTIVE In this mini-review we report recent advances in breast cancer research and drug testing that took advantage of the zebrafish xenograft model using both breast cancer cell lines and patient's biopsy. CONCLUSION Patient derived xenograft, together with the gene editing, the omics biotechnology, the in vivo time lapse imaging and the high-throughput screening that are already set up and largely used in zebrafish, could represent a step forward towards precision and personalized medicine in the breast cancer research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora Corsinovi
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
| | - Alice Usai
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
| | | | | | - Michela Ori
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa. Italy
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24
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Gamble JT, Elson DJ, Greenwood JA, Tanguay RL, Kolluri SK. The Zebrafish Xenograft Models for Investigating Cancer and Cancer Therapeutics. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10040252. [PMID: 33804830 PMCID: PMC8063817 DOI: 10.3390/biology10040252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary The identification and development of new anti-cancer drugs requires extensive testing in animal models to establish safety and efficacy of drug candidates. The transplantation of human tumor tissue into mouse (tumor xenografts) is commonly used to study cancer progression and to test potential drugs for their anti-cancer activity. Mouse models do not afford the ability to test a large number of drug candidates quickly as it takes several weeks to conduct these experiments. In contrast, tumor xenograft studies in zebrafish provide an efficient platform for rapid testing of safety and efficacy in less than two weeks. Abstract In order to develop new cancer therapeutics, rapid, reliable, and relevant biological models are required to screen and validate drug candidates for both efficacy and safety. In recent years, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as an excellent model organism suited for these goals. Larval fish or immunocompromised adult fish are used to engraft human cancer cells and serve as a platform for screening potential drug candidates. With zebrafish sharing ~80% of disease-related orthologous genes with humans, they provide a low cost, high-throughput alternative to mouse xenografts that is relevant to human biology. In this review, we provide background on the methods and utility of zebrafish xenograft models in cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- John T. Gamble
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Daniel J. Elson
- Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Juliet A. Greenwood
- School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Arizona State University, Scotsdale, AZ 85257, USA;
| | - Robyn L. Tanguay
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Siva K. Kolluri
- Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
- Correspondence:
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25
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Li Z, Zheng W, Wang H, Cheng Y, Fang Y, Wu F, Sun G, Sun G, Lv C, Hui B. Application of Animal Models in Cancer Research: Recent Progress and Future Prospects. Cancer Manag Res 2021; 13:2455-2475. [PMID: 33758544 PMCID: PMC7979343 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s302565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models refers to the animal experimental objects and related materials that can simulate human body established in medical research. As the second-largest disease in terms of morbidity and mortality after cardiovascular disease, cancer has always been the focus of human attention all over the world, which makes it a research hotspot in the medical field. At the same time, more and more animal models have been constructed and used in cancer research. With the deepening of research, the construction methods of cancer animal models are becoming more and more diverse, including chemical induction, xenotransplantation, gene programming, and so on. In recent years, patient-derived xenotransplantation (PDX) model has become a research hotspot because it can retain the microenvironment of the primary tumor and the basic characteristics of cells. Animal models can be used not only to study the biochemical and physiological processes of the occurrence and development of cancer in objects but also for the screening of cancer drugs and the exploration of gene therapy. In this paper, several main tumor animal models and the application progress of animal models in tumor research are systematically reviewed. Finally, combined with the latest progress and development trend in this field, the future research of tumor animal model was prospected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhitao Li
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Wubin Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hanjin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yijiao Fang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoqiang Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangshun Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengyu Lv
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingqing Hui
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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26
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Somasagara RR, Huang X, Xu C, Haider J, Serody JS, Armistead PM, Leung T. Targeted therapy of human leukemia xenografts in immunodeficient zebrafish. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5715. [PMID: 33707624 PMCID: PMC7952715 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85141-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Personalized medicine holds tremendous promise for improving safety and efficacy of drug therapies by optimizing treatment regimens. Rapidly developed patient-derived xenografts (pdx) could be a helpful tool for analyzing the effect of drugs against an individual's tumor by growing the tumor in an immunodeficient animal. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice enable efficient in vivo expansion of vital tumor cells and generation of personalized xenografts. However, they are not amenable to large-scale rapid screening, which is critical in identifying new compounds from large compound libraries. The development of a zebrafish model suitable for pdx could facilitate large-scale screening of drugs targeted against specific malignancies. Here, we describe a novel strategy for establishing a zebrafish model for drug testing in leukemia xenografts. We used chronic myelogenous leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia for xenotransplantation into SCID zebrafish to evaluate drug screening protocols. We showed the in vivo efficacy of the ABL inhibitor imatinib, MEK inhibitor U0126, cytarabine, azacitidine and arsenic trioxide. We performed corresponding in vitro studies, demonstrating that combination of MEK- and FLT3-inhibitors exhibit an enhanced effect in vitro. We further evaluated the feasibility of zebrafish for transplantation of primary human hematopoietic cells that can survive at 15 day-post-fertilization. Our results provide critical insights to guide development of high-throughput platforms for evaluating leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranganatha R Somasagara
- The Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Huang
- The Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA
| | - Chunyu Xu
- The Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA
| | - Jamil Haider
- The Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA
| | - Jonathan S Serody
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Paul M Armistead
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - TinChung Leung
- The Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA. .,Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, 27707, USA.
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27
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Bergo V, Trompouki E. New tools for 'ZEBRA-FISHING'. Brief Funct Genomics 2021:elab001. [PMID: 33605988 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elab001] [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: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish has been established as a classical model for developmental studies, yet in the past years, with the explosion of novel technological methods, the use of zebrafish as a model has expanded. One of the prominent fields that took advantage of zebrafish as a model organism early on is hematopoiesis, the process of blood cell generation from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). In zebrafish, HSPCs are born early during development in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region and then translocate to the caudal hematopoietic tissue, where they expand and finally take residence in the kidney marrow. This journey is tightly regulated at multiple levels from extracellular signals to chromatin. In order to delineate the mechanistic underpinnings of this process, next-generation sequencing techniques could be an important ally. Here, we describe genome-wide approaches that have been undertaken to delineate zebrafish hematopoiesis.
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28
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Chen X, Li Y, Yao T, Jia R. Benefits of Zebrafish Xenograft Models in Cancer Research. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:616551. [PMID: 33644052 PMCID: PMC7905065 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.616551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
As a promising in vivo tool for cancer research, zebrafish have been widely applied in various tumor studies. The zebrafish xenograft model is a low-cost, high-throughput tool for cancer research that can be established quickly and requires only a small sample size, which makes it favorite among researchers. Zebrafish patient-derived xenograft (zPDX) models provide promising evidence for short-term clinical treatment. In this review, we discuss the characteristics and advantages of zebrafish, such as their transparent and translucent features, the use of vascular fluorescence imaging, the establishment of metastatic and intracranial orthotopic models, individual pharmacokinetics measurements, and tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, we introduce how these characteristics and advantages are applied other in tumor studies. Finally, we discuss the future direction of the use of zebrafish in tumor studies and provide new ideas for the application of it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongyun Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Tengteng Yao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Renbing Jia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
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29
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Amawi H, Aljabali AAA, Boddu SHS, Amawi S, Obeid MA, Ashby CR, Tiwari AK. The use of zebrafish model in prostate cancer therapeutic development and discovery. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2021; 87:311-325. [PMID: 33392639 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-020-04211-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish is now among the leading in vivo model for cancer research, including prostate cancer. They are an alternative economic model being used to study cancer development, proliferation, and metastasis. They can also be effectively utilized for the development of cancer drugs at all levels, including target validation, and high-throughput screening for possible lead molecules. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the role of zebrafish as an in vivo model in prostate cancer research. Globally, prostate cancer is a leading cause of death in men. Although many molecular mechanisms have been identified as playing a role in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer, there is still a significant need to understand the initial events of the disease. Furthermore, current treatments are limited by the emergence of severe toxicities and multidrug resistance. There is an essential need for economical and relevant research tools to improve our understanding and overcome these problems. This review provides a comprehensive summary of studies that utilized zebrafish for different aims in prostate cancer research. We discuss the use of zebrafish in prostate cancer cell proliferation and metastasis, defining signaling pathways, drug discovery and therapeutic development against prostate cancer, and toxicity studies. Finally, this review highlights limitations in this field and future directions to efficiently use zebrafish as a robust model for prostate cancer therapeutics development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haneen Amawi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, P.O.BOX 566, Irbid, 21163, Jordan.
| | - Alaa A A Aljabali
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Sai H S Boddu
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, UAE
| | - Sadam Amawi
- Department of Urology and General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdullah University Hospital, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
| | - Mohammad A Obeid
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Charles R Ashby
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, USA
| | - Amit K Tiwari
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
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30
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Rajan V, Melong N, Wong WH, King B, Tong RS, Mahajan N, Gaston D, Lund T, Rittenberg D, Dellaire G, Campbell CJ, Druley T, Berman JN. Humanized zebrafish enhance human hematopoietic stem cell survival and promote acute myeloid leukemia clonal diversity. Haematologica 2020; 105:2391-2399. [PMID: 33054079 PMCID: PMC7556680 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2019.223040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Xenograft models are invaluable tools in establishing the current paradigms of hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis. The zebrafish has emerged as a robust alternative xenograft model but, like mice, lack specific cytokines that mimic the microenvironment found in human patients. To address this critical gap, we generated the first humanized zebrafish that express human hematopoietic-specific cytokines (GM-CSF, SCF, and SDF1α). Termed GSS fish, these zebrafish promote survival, self-renewal and multilineage differentiation of human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and result in enhanced proliferation and hematopoietic niche-specific homing of primary human leukemia cells. Using error-corrected RNA sequencing, we determined that patient-derived leukemias transplanted into GSS zebrafish exhibit broader clonal representation compared to transplants into control hosts. GSS zebrafish incorporating error-corrected RNA sequencing establish a new standard for zebrafish xenotransplantation that more accurately recapitulates the human context, providing a more representative cost-effective preclinical model system for evaluating personalized response-based treatment in leukemia and therapies to expand human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the transplant setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinothkumar Rajan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Nicole Melong
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wing Hing Wong
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Benjamin King
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - R. Spencer Tong
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Nitin Mahajan
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Gaston
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Troy Lund
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David Rittenberg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IWK Health Science Center, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Graham Dellaire
- Departments of Pathology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Clinton J.V. Campbell
- Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and
| | - Todd Druley
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jason N. Berman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- CHEO Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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31
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Tamplin OJ. Making fish a little more human: a zebrafish hematopoietic xenotransplant model is improved by the expression of human cytokines. Haematologica 2020; 105:2346-2347. [PMID: 33054071 PMCID: PMC7556669 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2020.256909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Owen J Tamplin
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.
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32
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Targen S, Kaya T, Avci ME, Gunes D, Keskus AG, Konu O. ZenoFishDb v1.1: A Database for Xenotransplantation Studies in Zebrafish. Zebrafish 2020; 17:305-318. [PMID: 32931381 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2020.1869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapidly accumulating literature has proven feasibility of the zebrafish xenograft models in cancer research. Nevertheless, online databases for searching the current zebrafish xenograft literature are in great demand. Herein, we have developed a manually curated database, called ZenoFishDb v1.1 (https://konulab.shinyapps.io/zenofishdb), based on R Shiny platform aiming to provide searchable information on ever increasing collection of zebrafish studies for cancer cell line transplantation and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). ZenoFishDb v1.1 user interface contains four modules: DataTable, Visualization, PDX Details, and PDX Charts. The DataTable and Visualization pages represent xenograft study details, including injected cell lines, PDX injections, molecular modifications of cell lines, zebrafish strains, as well as technical aspects of the xenotransplantation procedures in table, bar, and/or pie chart formats. The PDX Details module provides comprehensive information on the patient details in table format and can be searched and visualized. Overall, ZenoFishDb v1.1 enables researchers to effectively search, list, and visualize different technical and biological attributes of zebrafish xenotransplantation studies particularly focusing on the new trends that make use of reporters, RNA interference, overexpression, or mutant gene constructs of transplanted cancer cells, stem cells, and PDXs, as well as distinguished host modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seniye Targen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tuğberk Kaya
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.,Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - M Ender Avci
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Damla Gunes
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ayse Gokce Keskus
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ozlen Konu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.,UNAM-Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
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33
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Cabezas-Sáinz P, Pensado-López A, Sáinz B, Sánchez L. Modeling Cancer Using Zebrafish Xenografts: Drawbacks for Mimicking the Human Microenvironment. Cells 2020; 9:E1978. [PMID: 32867288 PMCID: PMC7564051 DOI: 10.3390/cells9091978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The first steps towards establishing xenografts in zebrafish embryos were performed by Lee et al., 2005 and Haldi et al., 2006, paving the way for studying human cancers using this animal species. Since then, the xenograft technique has been improved in different ways, ranging from optimizing the best temperature for xenografted embryo incubation, testing different sites for injection of human tumor cells, and even developing tools to study how the host interacts with the injected cells. Nonetheless, a standard protocol for performing xenografts has not been adopted across laboratories, and further research on the temperature, microenvironment of the tumor or the cell-host interactions inside of the embryo during xenografting is still needed. As a consequence, current non-uniform conditions could be affecting experimental results in terms of cell proliferation, invasion, or metastasis; or even overestimating the effects of some chemotherapeutic drugs on xenografted cells. In this review, we highlight and raise awareness regarding the different aspects of xenografting that need to be improved in order to mimic, in a more efficient way, the human tumor microenvironment, resulting in more robust and accurate in vivo results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Cabezas-Sáinz
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (P.C.-S.); (A.P.-L.)
| | - Alba Pensado-López
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (P.C.-S.); (A.P.-L.)
- Genomic Medicine Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Bruno Sáinz
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” CSIC-UAM, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Cancer Stem Cell and Fibroinflammatory Microenvironment Group, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (P.C.-S.); (A.P.-L.)
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34
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Gauert A, Olk N, Pimentel-Gutiérrez H, Astrahantseff K, Jensen LD, Cao Y, Eggert A, Eckert C, Hagemann AI. Fast, In Vivo Model for Drug-Response Prediction in Patients with B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12071883. [PMID: 32668722 PMCID: PMC7408814 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Only half of patients with relapsed B-cell precursor (BCP) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) currently survive with standard treatment protocols. Predicting individual patient responses to defined drugs prior to application would help therapy stratification and could improve survival. With the purpose to aid personalized targeted treatment approaches, we developed a human–zebrafish xenograft (ALL-ZeFiX) assay to predict drug response in a patient in 5 days. Leukemia blast cells were pericardially engrafted into transiently immunosuppressed Danio rerio embryos, and engrafted embryos treated for the test case, venetoclax, before single-cell dissolution for quantitative whole blast cell analysis. Bone marrow blasts from patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed BCP-ALL were successfully expanded in 60% of transplants in immunosuppressed zebrafish embryos. The response of BCP-ALL cell lines to venetoclax in ALL-ZeFiX assays mirrored responses in 2D cultures. Venetoclax produced varied responses in patient-derived BCP-ALL grafts, including two results mirroring treatment responses in two refractory BCP-ALL patients treated with venetoclax. Here we demonstrate proof-of-concept for our 5-day ALL-ZeFiX assay with primary patient blasts and the test case, venetoclax, which after expanded testing for further targeted drugs could support personalized treatment decisions within the clinical time window for decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Gauert
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
| | - Nadine Olk
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
| | - Helia Pimentel-Gutiérrez
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)—German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kathy Astrahantseff
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
| | - Lasse D. Jensen
- Department of Health, Medical and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden;
| | - Yihai Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Angelika Eggert
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)—German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cornelia Eckert
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)—German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anja I.H. Hagemann
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.G.); (N.O.); (H.P.-G.); (K.A.); (A.E.); (C.E.)
- Correspondence:
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Di Franco G, Usai A, Funel N, Palmeri M, Montesanti IER, Bianchini M, Gianardi D, Furbetta N, Guadagni S, Vasile E, Falcone A, Pollina LE, Raffa V, Morelli L. Use of zebrafish embryos as avatar of patients with pancreatic cancer: A new xenotransplantation model towards personalized medicine. World J Gastroenterol 2020; 26:2792-2809. [PMID: 32550755 PMCID: PMC7284182 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i21.2792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The response to chemotherapy treatment of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is difficult to predict and the identification of patients who most likely will benefit from aggressive chemotherapy approaches is crucial. The concept of personalized medicine has emerged in the last years with the objective to tailor the medical treatment to the individual characteristics of each patient, and particularly to the tumor biology of each patient. The need for in-vivo xenotransplantation models for cancer patients has increased exponentially, and for this reason zebrafish avatars have gained popularity. Preliminary studies were conducted also with PDAC tissue.
AIM To develop a simple, not expensive, diffusible zebrafish embryo model as avatar for patients affected by PDAC.
METHODS Tumor tissue was taken from the surgical specimen by the histopathologist. After its fragmentation into small pieces, they are stained with CM-Dil. Small pieces of stained tissue were transplanted into the yolk of wt AB zebrafish embryos with a glass capillary needle. Embryos were incubated at 35 °C in E3 medium supplemented with 1% Pen/Strep in the presence or absence of drugs for the following days in respect of the treatment plan (Gemcitabine; Gemcitabine and Oxaliplatin; Gemcitabine and nab-Paclitaxel; 5-Fluorouracil and Folinic acid and Oxaliplatin and Irinotecan). The response of zebrafish xenografts to the chemotherapy options has been analyzed by monitoring the fluorescent stained area at 2 h post injection (hpi), 1 d and 2 d post injection (dpi). In each time point, the mean size of the stained area was measured by ImageJ and it was normalized with respect to the 1 dpi time point mean relative tumor area (RTA). We evaluated the effect of the chemotherapy exposition comparing the mean RTA of each treated subgroup and the control group and evaluating the percentage reduction of the mean RTA by comparing each treated subgroup with the control group.
RESULTS Between July 2018 and October 2019, a total of 15 patients with pancreatic cancer were prospectively enrolled. In all cases, it was possible to take a fragment of the tumor from the surgical specimen for the xenotransplantation in the zebrafish embryos. The histological examination confirmed the presence of a PDAC in all cases. In absence of chemotherapy (control group), over time the Dil-stained area showed a statistically significant increase in all cases. A statistically significant reduction of the mean RTA in the treated subgroups for at least one chemotherapy scheme was reported in 6/15 (40%) cases. The analysis of the percentage reduction of the RTA in treated subgroups in comparison to the control group revealed the presence of a linear relationship in each subgroup between the percentage reduction of the RTA and the number of cases reporting each percentage threshold considered for the analysis.
CONCLUSION Our model seems to be effective for the xenotransplantation of PDAC tissue and evaluation of the effect of each chemotherapy scheme on the xenotransplanted tumor tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregorio Di Franco
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Alice Usai
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa 56127, Italy
| | - Niccola Funel
- Division of Surgical Pathology, Department of Laboratory of Medicine, Hospital-University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Matteo Palmeri
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Bianchini
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Desirée Gianardi
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Niccolò Furbetta
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Simone Guadagni
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Enrico Vasile
- Division of Medical Oncology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Alfredo Falcone
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Luca Emanuele Pollina
- Division of Surgical Pathology, Department of Laboratory of Medicine, Hospital-University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Vittoria Raffa
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa 56127, Italy
| | - Luca Morelli
- General Surgery Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
- EndoCAS (Center for Computer Assisted Surgery), University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
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Fazio M, Ablain J, Chuan Y, Langenau DM, Zon LI. Zebrafish patient avatars in cancer biology and precision cancer therapy. Nat Rev Cancer 2020; 20:263-273. [PMID: 32251397 PMCID: PMC8011456 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-020-0252-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In precision oncology, two major strategies are being pursued for predicting clinically relevant tumour behaviours, such as treatment response and emergence of drug resistance: inference based on genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic and/or proteomic analysis of patient samples, and phenotypic assays in personalized cancer avatars. The latter approach has historically relied on in vivo mouse xenografts and in vitro organoids or 2D cell cultures. Recent progress in rapid combinatorial genetic modelling, the development of a genetically immunocompromised strain for xenotransplantation of human patient samples in adult zebrafish and the first clinical trial using xenotransplantation in zebrafish larvae for phenotypic testing of drug response bring this tiny vertebrate to the forefront of the precision medicine arena. In this Review, we discuss advances in transgenic and transplantation-based zebrafish cancer avatars, and how these models compare with and complement mouse xenografts and human organoids. We also outline the unique opportunities that these different models present for prediction studies and current challenges they face for future clinical deployment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Fazio
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Julien Ablain
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yan Chuan
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - David M Langenau
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Leonard I Zon
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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A Preclinical Embryonic Zebrafish Xenograft Model to Investigate CAR T Cells In Vivo. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12030567. [PMID: 32121414 PMCID: PMC7139560 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12030567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have proven to be a powerful cellular therapy for B cell malignancies. Massive efforts are now being undertaken to reproduce the high efficacy of CAR T cells in the treatment of other malignancies. Here, predictive preclinical model systems are important, and the current gold standard for preclinical evaluation of CAR T cells are mouse xenografts. However, mouse xenograft assays are expensive and slow. Therefore, an additional vertebrate in vivo assay would be beneficial to bridge the gap from in vitro to mouse xenografts. Here, we present a novel assay based on embryonic zebrafish xenografts to investigate CAR T cell-mediated killing of human cancer cells. Using a CD19-specific CAR and Nalm-6 leukemia cells, we show that live observation of killing of Nalm-6 cells by CAR T cells is possible in zebrafish embryos. Furthermore, we applied Fiji macros enabling automated quantification of Nalm-6 cells and CAR T cells over time. In conclusion, we provide a proof-of-principle study that embryonic zebrafish xenografts can be used to investigate CAR T cell-mediated killing of tumor cells. This assay is cost-effective, fast, and offers live imaging possibilities to directly investigate CAR T cell migration, engagement, and killing of effector cells.
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Zebrafish Avatars towards Personalized Medicine-A Comparative Review between Avatar Models. Cells 2020; 9:cells9020293. [PMID: 31991800 PMCID: PMC7072137 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer frequency and prevalence have been increasing in the past decades, with devastating impacts on patients and their families. Despite the great advances in targeted approaches, there is still a lack of methods to predict individual patient responses, and therefore treatments are tailored according to average response rates. “Omics” approaches are used for patient stratification and choice of therapeutic options towards a more precise medicine. These methods, however, do not consider all genetic and non-genetic dynamic interactions that occur upon drug treatment. Therefore, the need to directly challenge patient cells in a personalized manner remains. The present review addresses the state of the art of patient-derived in vitro and in vivo models, from organoids to mouse and zebrafish Avatars. The predictive power of each model based on the retrospective correlation with the patient clinical outcome will be considered. Finally, the review is focused on the emerging zebrafish Avatars and their unique characteristics allowing a fast analysis of local and systemic effects of drug treatments at the single-cell level. We also address the technical challenges that the field has yet to overcome.
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La transplantation de cellules tumorales chez le poisson zèbre : de la recherche translationnelle à la médecine personnalisée. Bull Cancer 2020; 107:30-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bulcan.2019.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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ZeOncoTest: Refining and Automating the Zebrafish Xenograft Model for Drug Discovery in Cancer. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2019; 13:ph13010001. [PMID: 31878274 PMCID: PMC7169390 DOI: 10.3390/ph13010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The xenograft of human cancer cells in model animals is a powerful tool for understanding tumor progression and metastatic potential. Mice represent a validated host, but their use is limited by the elevated experimental costs and low throughput. To overcome these restrictions, zebrafish larvae might represent a valuable alternative. Their small size and transparency allow the tracking of transplanted cells. Therefore, tumor growth and early steps of metastasis, which are difficult to evaluate in mice, can be addressed. In spite of its advantages, the use of this model has been hindered by lack of experimental homogeneity and validation. Considering these facts, the aim of our work was to standardize, automate, and validate a zebrafish larvae xenograft assay with increased translatability and higher drug screening throughput. The ZeOncoTest reliability is based on the optimization of different experimental parameters, such as cell labeling, injection site, automated individual sample image acquisition, and analysis. This workflow implementation finally allows a higher precision and experimental throughput increase, when compared to previous reports. The approach was validated with the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, the colorectal cancer cells HCT116, and the prostate cancer cells PC3; and known drugs, respectively RKI-1447, Docetaxel, and Mitoxantrone. The results recapitulate growth and invasion for all tested tumor cells, along with expected efficacy of the compounds. Finally, the methodology has proven useful for understanding specific drugs mode of action. The insights gained bring a step further for zebrafish larvae xenografts to enter the regulated preclinical drug discovery path.
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Pringle ES, Wertman J, Melong N, Coombs AJ, Young AL, O’Leary D, Veinotte C, Robinson CA, Ha MN, Dellaire G, Druley TE, McCormick C, Berman JN. The Zebrafish Xenograft Platform-A Novel Tool for Modeling KSHV-Associated Diseases. Viruses 2019; 12:v12010012. [PMID: 31861850 PMCID: PMC7019925 DOI: 10.3390/v12010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Kaposi’s sarcoma associated-herpesvirus (KSHV, also known as human herpesvirus-8) is a gammaherpesvirus that establishes life-long infection in human B lymphocytes. KSHV infection is typically asymptomatic, but immunosuppression can predispose KSHV-infected individuals to primary effusion lymphoma (PEL); a malignancy driven by aberrant proliferation of latently infected B lymphocytes, and supported by pro-inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors produced by cells that succumb to lytic viral replication. Here, we report the development of the first in vivo model for a virally induced lymphoma in zebrafish, whereby KSHV-infected PEL tumor cells engraft and proliferate in the yolk sac of zebrafish larvae. Using a PEL cell line engineered to produce the viral lytic switch protein RTA in the presence of doxycycline, we demonstrate drug-inducible reactivation from KSHV latency in vivo, which enabled real-time observation and evaluation of latent and lytic phases of KSHV infection. In addition, we developed a sensitive droplet digital PCR method to monitor latent and lytic viral gene expression and host cell gene expression in xenografts. The zebrafish yolk sac is not well vascularized, and by using fluorogenic assays, we confirmed that this site provides a hypoxic environment that may mimic the microenvironment of some human tumors. We found that PEL cell proliferation in xenografts was dependent on the host hypoxia-dependent translation initiation factor, eukaryotic initiation factor 4E2 (eIF4E2). This demonstrates that the zebrafish yolk sac is a functionally hypoxic environment, and xenografted cells must switch to dedicated hypoxic gene expression machinery to survive and proliferate. The establishment of the PEL xenograft model enables future studies that exploit the innate advantages of the zebrafish as a model for genetic and pharmacologic screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S. Pringle
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada;
| | - Jaime Wertman
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
| | - Nicole Melong
- CHEO Research Institute/Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Andrew J. Coombs
- Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, 5980 University Ave, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada;
| | - Andrew L. Young
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA (D.O.)
| | - David O’Leary
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA (D.O.)
| | - Chansey Veinotte
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
| | - Carolyn-Ann Robinson
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
| | - Michael N. Ha
- Department of Radiation Oncology, 5820 University Ave, Halifax, NS B3H 1V7, Canada;
| | - Graham Dellaire
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada;
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Todd E. Druley
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA (D.O.)
| | - Craig McCormick
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada;
- Correspondence: (C.M.); (J.N.B.)
| | - Jason N. Berman
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (E.S.P.); (C.V.); (C.-A.R.)
- CHEO Research Institute/Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, 5980 University Ave, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada;
- Correspondence: (C.M.); (J.N.B.)
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Hason M, Bartůněk P. Zebrafish Models of Cancer-New Insights on Modeling Human Cancer in a Non-Mammalian Vertebrate. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10110935. [PMID: 31731811 PMCID: PMC6896156 DOI: 10.3390/genes10110935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a valuable non-mammalian vertebrate model widely used to study development and disease, including more recently cancer. The evolutionary conservation of cancer-related programs between human and zebrafish is striking and allows extrapolation of research outcomes obtained in fish back to humans. Zebrafish has gained attention as a robust model for cancer research mainly because of its high fecundity, cost-effective maintenance, dynamic visualization of tumor growth in vivo, and the possibility of chemical screening in large numbers of animals at reasonable costs. Novel approaches in modeling tumor growth, such as using transgene electroporation in adult zebrafish, could improve our knowledge about the spatial and temporal control of cancer formation and progression in vivo. Looking at genetic as well as epigenetic alterations could be important to explain the pathogenesis of a disease as complex as cancer. In this review, we highlight classic genetic and transplantation models of cancer in zebrafish as well as provide new insights on advances in cancer modeling. Recent progress in zebrafish xenotransplantation studies and drug screening has shown that zebrafish is a reliable model to study human cancer and could be suitable for evaluating patient-derived xenograft cell invasiveness. Rapid, large-scale evaluation of in vivo drug responses and kinetics in zebrafish could undoubtedly lead to new applications in personalized medicine and combination therapy. For all of the above-mentioned reasons, zebrafish is approaching a future of being a pre-clinical cancer model, alongside the mouse. However, the mouse will continue to be valuable in the last steps of pre-clinical drug screening, mostly because of the highly conserved mammalian genome and biological processes.
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Sieber S, Grossen P, Bussmann J, Campbell F, Kros A, Witzigmann D, Huwyler J. Zebrafish as a preclinical in vivo screening model for nanomedicines. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2019; 151-152:152-168. [PMID: 30615917 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 12/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The interactions of nanomedicines with biological environments is heavily influenced by their physicochemical properties. Formulation design and optimization are therefore key steps towards successful nanomedicine development. Unfortunately, detailed assessment of nanomedicine formulations, at a macromolecular level, in rodents is severely limited by the restricted imaging possibilities within these animals. Moreover, rodent in vivo studies are time consuming and expensive, limiting the number of formulations that can be practically assessed in any one study. Consequently, screening and optimisation of nanomedicine formulations is most commonly performed in surrogate biological model systems, such as human-derived cell cultures. However, despite the time and cost advantages of classical in vitro models, these artificial systems fail to reflect and mimic the complex biological situation a nanomedicine will encounter in vivo. This has acutely hampered the selection of potentially successful nanomedicines for subsequent rodent in vivo studies. Recently, zebrafish have emerged as a promising in vivo model, within nanomedicine development pipelines, by offering opportunities to quickly screen nanomedicines under in vivo conditions and in a cost-effective manner so as to bridge the current gap between in vitro and rodent studies. In this review, we outline several advantageous features of the zebrafish model, such as biological conservation, imaging modalities, availability of genetic tools and disease models, as well as their various applications in nanomedicine development. Critical experimental parameters are discussed and the most beneficial applications of the zebrafish model, in the context of nanomedicine development, are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Sieber
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philip Grossen
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jeroen Bussmann
- Department of Supramolecular and Biomaterials Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Frederick Campbell
- Department of Supramolecular and Biomaterials Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Kros
- Department of Supramolecular and Biomaterials Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Dominik Witzigmann
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada..
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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Tackling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia-One Fish at a Time. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20215313. [PMID: 31731471 PMCID: PMC6862667 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20215313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a need for improved strategies to decrease morbidity and improve cure rates in relapsed/refractory ALL still exists. Such approaches include the identification and implementation of novel targeted combination regimens, and more precise upfront patient risk stratification to guide therapy. New curative strategies rely on an understanding of the pathobiology that derives from systematically dissecting each cancer’s genetic and molecular landscape. Zebrafish models provide a powerful system to simulate human diseases, including leukemias and ALL specifically. They are also an invaluable tool for genetic manipulation, in vivo studies, and drug discovery. Here, we highlight and summarize contributions made by several zebrafish T-ALL models and newer zebrafish B-ALL models in translating the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms operative in ALL, and also highlight their potential utility for drug discovery. These models have laid the groundwork for increasing our understanding of the molecular basis of ALL to further translational and clinical research endeavors that seek to improve outcomes in this important cancer.
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Konantz M, Schürch C, Hanns P, Müller JS, Sauteur L, Lengerke C. Modeling hematopoietic disorders in zebrafish. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:12/9/dmm040360. [PMID: 31519693 PMCID: PMC6765189 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.040360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish offer a powerful vertebrate model for studies of development and disease. The major advantages of this model include the possibilities of conducting reverse and forward genetic screens and of observing cellular processes by in vivo imaging of single cells. Moreover, pathways regulating blood development are highly conserved between zebrafish and mammals, and several discoveries made in fish were later translated to murine and human models. This review and accompanying poster provide an overview of zebrafish hematopoiesis and discuss the existing zebrafish models of blood disorders, such as myeloid and lymphoid malignancies, bone marrow failure syndromes and immunodeficiencies, with a focus on how these models were generated and how they can be applied for translational research. Summary: This At A Glance article and poster summarize the last 20 years of research in zebrafish models for hematopoietic disorders, highlighting how these models were created and are being applied for translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Konantz
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Schürch
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Pauline Hanns
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Joëlle S Müller
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Loïc Sauteur
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Lengerke
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland.,Division of Hematology, University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Basel 4031, Switzerland
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Zebrafish Xenograft Model of Human Lung Cancer for Evaluating Osimertinib Resistance. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:3129748. [PMID: 31346515 PMCID: PMC6620834 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3129748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
About half of NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation had secondary mutation T790M after treatment with a first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), Gefitinib. The third-generation of EGFR-TKI Osimertinib is suitable for patients with EGFR mutation and T790M mutation. However, drug screening for NSCLC patients after the emergence of acquired resistance has become a difficult problem for clinicians. In this study, we established drug-resistant cell lines of Gefitinib and Osimertinib to evaluate cell proliferation in vitro. And we investigated the inhibitory effect of different drug concentration gradients on cancer cells. Zebrafish with high homology to human genes were selected as xenotransplantation models to compare the effects of different concentrations of Osimertinib on the proliferation and angiogenesis of zebrafish tumors after transplantation of different lung cancer cell lines. It was confirmed that Osimertinib could inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells with EGFR mutation and T790M resistance mutation in zebrafish, which was consistent with the clinical research conclusion.
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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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49
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Developing zebrafish disease models for in vivo small molecule screens. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2019; 50:37-44. [PMID: 30928773 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The zebrafish is a model organism that allows in vivo studies to be performed at a scale usually restricted to in vitro studies. As such, the zebrafish is well suited to in vivo screens, in which thousands of small molecules are tested for their ability to modify disease phenotypes in zebrafish disease models. Numerous approaches have been developed for modeling human diseases in zebrafish, including mutagenesis, transgenesis, pharmacological approaches, wounding, and exposure to infectious or cancerous agents. We review the various strategies for modeling human diseases in zebrafish and discuss important considerations when developing zebrafish models for use in in vivo small molecule screens.
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50
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Jia Y, Qi Y, Wang Y, Ma X, Xu Y, Wang J, Zhang X, Gao M, Cong B, Han S. Overexpression of CD59 inhibits apoptosis of T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia via AKT/Notch1 signaling pathway. Cancer Cell Int 2019; 19:9. [PMID: 30636930 PMCID: PMC6325688 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-018-0714-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) was a hematological malignancy characterized by the accumulation of immature T cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood. In this study, we tried to explore the physiological role of CD59 in T-ALL. METHODS In this study, we collected the bone marrow samples from 17 T-ALL patients and 38 healthy participants to find differences in CD59 expression patterns. Then, CD59 was over-expressed in T-ALL cell line Jurkat, and its biological functions were detected. In addition, in order to understand the active site of CD59, the Trp40 was mutated. Further, we constructed a mouse model by transplanting Jurkat cells into the nude mice to verify the function of CD59 in vitro. At last, mechanism studies were performed by western blot. RESULTS We found that the proportion of T lymphocytes expressing CD59 in bone marrow of T-ALL patients was significantly higher than that of healthy individuals. Then, we found that the overexpression of CD59 in Jurkat cells was beneficial to the cell survival by inhibiting apoptosis and promoting IL-2 secretion. In this process, Trp40 of CD59 was a key functional site. Further, the high expression of CD59 inhibited apoptosis of bone marrow and peripheral blood cells, and promoted IL-2 secretion in mouse model. At last, mechanism studies showed that the activation of AKT, STAT5 and Notch1 signaling pathways in Jurkat cells, may be involved in the regulation of apoptosis by CD59; and mutation in the Trp40 affect the interaction of CD59 with these signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, CD59 inhibited apoptosis of T-ALL by regulating AKT/Notch1 signaling pathway, providing a new perspective for the treatment of T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfei Jia
- Medical Research and Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 115 Jie Fang Road, Jinan, Shandong 250013 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan Qi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong People’s Republic of China
| | - Yunshan Wang
- Medical Research and Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 115 Jie Fang Road, Jinan, Shandong 250013 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoli Ma
- Medical Research and Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 115 Jie Fang Road, Jinan, Shandong 250013 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yihui Xu
- Medical Research and Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 115 Jie Fang Road, Jinan, Shandong 250013 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jun Wang
- Medical Research and Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 115 Jie Fang Road, Jinan, Shandong 250013 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqian Zhang
- Medical Research and Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 115 Jie Fang Road, Jinan, Shandong 250013 People’s Republic of China
| | - Meihua Gao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong People’s Republic of China
| | - Beibei Cong
- Medical Research and Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 115 Jie Fang Road, Jinan, Shandong 250013 People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuyi Han
- Medical Research and Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 115 Jie Fang Road, Jinan, Shandong 250013 People’s Republic of China
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