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Alberti G, Amico MD, Caruso Bavisotto C, Rappa F, Marino Gammazza A, Bucchieri F, Cappello F, Scalia F, Szychlinska MA. Speeding up Glioblastoma Cancer Research: Highlighting the Zebrafish Xenograft Model. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5394. [PMID: 38791432 PMCID: PMC11121320 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a very aggressive and lethal primary brain cancer in adults. The multifaceted nature of GBM pathogenesis, rising from complex interactions between cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME), has posed great treatment challenges. Despite significant scientific efforts, the prognosis for GBM remains very poor, even after intensive treatment with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Efficient GBM management still requires the invention of innovative treatment strategies. There is a strong necessity to complete cancer in vitro studies and in vivo studies to properly evaluate the mechanisms of tumor progression within the complex TME. In recent years, the animal models used to study GBM tumors have evolved, achieving highly invasive GBM models able to provide key information on the molecular mechanisms of GBM onset. At present, the most commonly used animal models in GBM research are represented by mammalian models, such as mouse and canine ones. However, the latter present several limitations, such as high cost and time-consuming management, making them inappropriate for large-scale anticancer drug evaluation. In recent years, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model has emerged as a valuable tool for studying GBM. It has shown great promise in preclinical studies due to numerous advantages, such as its small size, its ability to generate a large cohort of genetically identical offspring, and its rapid development, permitting more time- and cost-effective management and high-throughput drug screening when compared to mammalian models. Moreover, due to its transparent nature in early developmental stages and genetic and anatomical similarities with humans, it allows for translatable brain cancer research and related genetic screening and drug discovery. For this reason, the aim of the present review is to highlight the potential of relevant transgenic and xenograft zebrafish models and to compare them to the traditionally used animal models in GBM research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giusi Alberti
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (M.D.A.); (C.C.B.); (F.R.); (A.M.G.); (F.B.); (F.C.); (F.S.)
| | - Maria Denise Amico
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (M.D.A.); (C.C.B.); (F.R.); (A.M.G.); (F.B.); (F.C.); (F.S.)
| | - Celeste Caruso Bavisotto
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (M.D.A.); (C.C.B.); (F.R.); (A.M.G.); (F.B.); (F.C.); (F.S.)
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Rappa
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (M.D.A.); (C.C.B.); (F.R.); (A.M.G.); (F.B.); (F.C.); (F.S.)
- The Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonella Marino Gammazza
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (M.D.A.); (C.C.B.); (F.R.); (A.M.G.); (F.B.); (F.C.); (F.S.)
| | - Fabio Bucchieri
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (M.D.A.); (C.C.B.); (F.R.); (A.M.G.); (F.B.); (F.C.); (F.S.)
| | - Francesco Cappello
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (M.D.A.); (C.C.B.); (F.R.); (A.M.G.); (F.B.); (F.C.); (F.S.)
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
| | - Federica Scalia
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (M.D.A.); (C.C.B.); (F.R.); (A.M.G.); (F.B.); (F.C.); (F.S.)
| | - Marta Anna Szychlinska
- Department of Precision Medicine in Medical, Surgical and Critical Care (Me.Pre.C.C.), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
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Burko P, D’Amico G, Miltykh I, Scalia F, Conway de Macario E, Macario AJL, Giglia G, Cappello F, Caruso Bavisotto C. Molecular Pathways Implicated in Radioresistance of Glioblastoma Multiforme: What Is the Role of Extracellular Vesicles? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054883. [PMID: 36902314 PMCID: PMC10003080 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a primary brain tumor that is very aggressive, resistant to treatment, and characterized by a high degree of anaplasia and proliferation. Routine treatment includes ablative surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, GMB rapidly relapses and develops radioresistance. Here, we briefly review the mechanisms underpinning radioresistance and discuss research to stop it and install anti-tumor defenses. Factors that participate in radioresistance are varied and include stem cells, tumor heterogeneity, tumor microenvironment, hypoxia, metabolic reprogramming, the chaperone system, non-coding RNAs, DNA repair, and extracellular vesicles (EVs). We direct our attention toward EVs because they are emerging as promising candidates as diagnostic and prognostication tools and as the basis for developing nanodevices for delivering anti-cancer agents directly into the tumor mass. EVs are relatively easy to obtain and manipulate to endow them with the desired anti-cancer properties and to administer them using minimally invasive procedures. Thus, isolating EVs from a GBM patient, supplying them with the necessary anti-cancer agent and the capability of recognizing a specified tissue-cell target, and reinjecting them into the original donor appears, at this time, as a reachable objective of personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Burko
- Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppa D’Amico
- Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Ilia Miltykh
- Department of Human Anatomy, Institute of Medicine, Penza State University, 440026 Penza, Russia
| | - Federica Scalia
- Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore-Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), Baltimore, MD 21202, USA
| | - Everly Conway de Macario
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore-Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), Baltimore, MD 21202, USA
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
| | - Alberto J. L. Macario
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore-Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), Baltimore, MD 21202, USA
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Giglia
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
- Section of Human Physiology, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Cappello
- Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
| | - Celeste Caruso Bavisotto
- Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0916553501
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Caruso Bavisotto C, Marino Gammazza A, Campanella C, Bucchieri F, Cappello F. Extracellular heat shock proteins in cancer: From early diagnosis to new therapeutic approach. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 86:36-45. [PMID: 34563652 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In cancer, human cells lose the ability to properly control the series of events that occur constantly during cell growth and division, including protein expression, stability, and dynamics. Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are key molecules in these events, constitutively expressed at high levels and could furthermore be induced by the response to cancer-induced stress. In tumor cells, Hsps have been shown to be implicated in the regulation of apoptosis, immune responses, angiogenesis and metastasis; in some cases, they can be overexpressed and dysregulated, representing important cancer hallmarks. In the past few years, it has been demonstrated that Hsps can be released by tumor cells through several secreting pathways, including the extracellular vesicles (EVs), thus modulating the tumor microenvironment as well as long-distance intercellular communication and metastatization. In this review, we discuss the role of extracellular Hsps in cancer, with a particular interest in Hsps in EVs. We would also like to highlight the importance of fully understanding of the role of extracellular Hsps released by EVs and encourage further research in this field the use of Hsps as early cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste Caruso Bavisotto
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), Institute of Anatomy and Histology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonella Marino Gammazza
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), Institute of Anatomy and Histology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Claudia Campanella
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), Institute of Anatomy and Histology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Fabio Bucchieri
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), Institute of Anatomy and Histology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Cappello
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), Institute of Anatomy and Histology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.
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