1
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Kawasaki T, Shimizu Y. Carcinogenesis Models Using Small Fish. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2021; 69:962-969. [PMID: 34602577 DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c21-00295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Experimental animals are indispensable in life science-related research, including cancer studies. After rats and mice, small fishes, such as zebrafish and medaka, are the second most frequently used model species. Fish models have some advantageous physical characteristics that make them suitable for research, including their small size, some transparency, genetic manipulability, ease of handling, and highly ortholog correspondence with humans. This review introduces technological advances in carcinogenesis model production using small fish. Carcinogenesis model production begins with chemical carcinogenesis, followed by mutagenesis. Gene transfer technology has made it possible to incorporate various mechanisms that act on cancer-related genes in individuals. For example, scientists may now spatiotemporally control gene expression in a single fish through methods including the localization of an expression site via a tissue-specific promoter and expression control using light, heat, or a chemical substance. In addition, genome editing technology is realizing more specific and more efficient gene disruption than conventional mutagenesis, in which the disruption of the gene of interest depends on chance. These technological advances have improved animal models and will soon create carcinogenesis models that better mimic human pathology. We conclude by discussing future expectations for cancer research using small fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Kawasaki
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
| | - Yuki Shimizu
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
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2
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López-Cuevas P, Deane L, Yang Y, Hammond CL, Kague E. Transformed notochordal cells trigger chronic wounds destabilizing the vertebral column and bone homeostasis. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:dmm.047001. [PMID: 33579726 PMCID: PMC7988777 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.047001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Notochordal cells play a pivotal role in vertebral column patterning, contributing to the formation of the inner architecture of intervertebral discs (IVDs). Their disappearance during development has been associated with reduced repair capacity and IVD degeneration. Notochord cells can give rise to chordomas, a highly invasive bone cancer associated with late diagnosis. Understanding the impact of neoplastic cells during development and on the surrounding vertebral column could open avenues for earlier intervention and therapeutics. We investigated the impact of transformed notochord cells in the zebrafish skeleton using a line expressing RAS in the notochord under the control of the kita promoter, with the advantage of adulthood endurance. Transformed cells caused damage in the notochord and destabilised the sheath layer, triggering a wound repair mechanism, with enrolment of sheath cells (col9a2+) and expression of wt1b, similar to induced notochord wounds. Moreover, increased recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages, displaying abnormal behaviour in proximity to the notochord sheath and transformed cells, supported parallels between chordomas, wound and inflammation. Cancerous notochordal cells interfere with differentiation of sheath cells to form chordacentra domains, leading to fusions and vertebral clefts during development. Adults displayed IVD irregularities reminiscent of degeneration, including reduced bone mineral density and increased osteoclast activity, along with disorganised osteoblasts and collagen, indicating impaired bone homeostasis. By depleting inflammatory cells, we abrogated chordoma development and rescued the skeletal features of the vertebral column. Therefore, we showed that transformed notochord cells alter the skeleton during life, causing a wound-like phenotype and activating chronic wound response, suggesting parallels between chordoma, wound, IVD degeneration and inflammation, highlighting inflammation as a promising target for future therapeutics. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Analyses using a zebrafish line expressing RAS in the notochord, under the control of the kita promoter, revealed that transformed notochord cells alter the skeleton during life, causing a wound-like phenotype and activating chronic wound response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paco López-Cuevas
- The School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Luke Deane
- The School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Yushi Yang
- School of Physics, HH Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, BS8 1TL, UK.,Centre for Nanoscience and Quantum Information, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1FD, UK.,Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TL, UK
| | - Chrissy L Hammond
- The School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Erika Kague
- The School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
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3
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Raby L, Völkel P, Le Bourhis X, Angrand PO. Genetic Engineering of Zebrafish in Cancer Research. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12082168. [PMID: 32759814 PMCID: PMC7464884 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an excellent model to study a wide diversity of human cancers. In this review, we provide an overview of the genetic and reverse genetic toolbox allowing the generation of zebrafish lines that develop tumors. The large spectrum of genetic tools enables the engineering of zebrafish lines harboring precise genetic alterations found in human patients, the generation of zebrafish carrying somatic or germline inheritable mutations or zebrafish showing conditional expression of the oncogenic mutations. Comparative transcriptomics demonstrate that many of the zebrafish tumors share molecular signatures similar to those found in human cancers. Thus, zebrafish cancer models provide a unique in vivo platform to investigate cancer initiation and progression at the molecular and cellular levels, to identify novel genes involved in tumorigenesis as well as to contemplate new therapeutic strategies.
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4
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Frantz WT, Ceol CJ. From Tank to Treatment: Modeling Melanoma in Zebrafish. Cells 2020; 9:cells9051289. [PMID: 32455885 PMCID: PMC7290816 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and one of few cancers with a growing incidence. A thorough understanding of its pathogenesis is fundamental to developing new strategies to combat mortality and morbidity. Zebrafish—due in large part to their tractable genetics, conserved pathways, and optical properties—have emerged as an excellent system to model melanoma. Zebrafish have been used to study melanoma from a single tumor initiating cell, through metastasis, remission, and finally into relapse. In this review, we examine seminal zebrafish studies that have advanced our understanding of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Tyler Frantz
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA;
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Craig J Ceol
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA;
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Correspondence:
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5
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Cal L, Suarez‐Bregua P, Braasch I, Irion U, Kelsh R, Cerdá‐Reverter JM, Rotllant J. Loss‐of‐function mutations in the melanocortin 1 receptor cause disruption of dorso‐ventral countershading in teleost fish. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2019; 32:817-828. [DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cal
- Department of Biotechnology & Aquaculture, FishBioTech Lab. Institute of Marine Research (IIM‐CSIC) Vigo Spain
| | - Paula Suarez‐Bregua
- Department of Biotechnology & Aquaculture, FishBioTech Lab. Institute of Marine Research (IIM‐CSIC) Vigo Spain
| | - Ingo Braasch
- Department of Integrative Biology, Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
| | - Uwe Irion
- Max‐Planck‐Institute of Developmental Biology Tübingen Germany
| | - Robert Kelsh
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Centre for Regenerative Medicine University of Bath Bath UK
| | - Jose Miguel Cerdá‐Reverter
- Department of Fish Physiology and Biotechnology Institute of Aquaculture from Torre la Sal (IATS‐CSIC) Castellon Spain
| | - Josep Rotllant
- Department of Biotechnology & Aquaculture, FishBioTech Lab. Institute of Marine Research (IIM‐CSIC) Vigo Spain
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6
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Cal L, Suarez-Bregua P, Comesaña P, Owen J, Braasch I, Kelsh R, Cerdá-Reverter JM, Rotllant J. Countershading in zebrafish results from an Asip1 controlled dorsoventral gradient of pigment cell differentiation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3449. [PMID: 30837630 PMCID: PMC6401153 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40251-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dorso-ventral (DV) countershading is a highly-conserved pigmentary adaptation in vertebrates. In mammals, spatially regulated expression of agouti-signaling protein (ASIP) generates the difference in shading by driving a switch between the production of chemically-distinct melanins in melanocytes in dorsal and ventral regions. In contrast, fish countershading seemed to result from a patterned DV distribution of differently-coloured cell-types (chromatophores). Despite the cellular differences in the basis for counter-shading, previous observations suggested that Agouti signaling likely played a role in this patterning process in fish. To test the hypotheses that Agouti regulated counter-shading in fish, and that this depended upon spatial regulation of the numbers of each chromatophore type, we engineered asip1 homozygous knockout mutant zebrafish. We show that loss-of-function asip1 mutants lose DV countershading, and that this results from changed numbers of multiple pigment cell-types in the skin and on scales. Our findings identify asip1 as key in the establishment of DV countershading in fish, but show that the cellular mechanism for translating a conserved signaling gradient into a conserved pigmentary phenotype has been radically altered in the course of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cal
- Deparment of Biotechnology and Aquaculture. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, IIM-CSIC, Vigo, 36208, Spain
| | - Paula Suarez-Bregua
- Deparment of Biotechnology and Aquaculture. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, IIM-CSIC, Vigo, 36208, Spain
| | - Pilar Comesaña
- Deparment of Biotechnology and Aquaculture. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, IIM-CSIC, Vigo, 36208, Spain
| | - Jennifer Owen
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry and Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Ingo Braasch
- Department of Integrative Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Robert Kelsh
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry and Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | | | - Josep Rotllant
- Deparment of Biotechnology and Aquaculture. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, IIM-CSIC, Vigo, 36208, Spain.
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7
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Quan Y, Gong L, He J, Zhou Y, Liu M, Cao Z, Li Y, Peng C. Aloe emodin induces hepatotoxicity by activating NF-κB inflammatory pathway and P53 apoptosis pathway in zebrafish. Toxicol Lett 2019; 306:66-79. [PMID: 30771440 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2019.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatotoxic effect and its underlying mechanism of aloe emodin (AE). AE was docked with the targets of NF-κB inflammatory pathway and P53 apoptosis pathway respectively by using molecular docking technique. To verify the results of molecular docking and further investigate the hepatotoxicity mechanism of AE, the zebrafish Tg (fabp10: EGFP) was used as an animal model in vivo. The pathological sections of zebrafish liver were analyzed to observe the histopathological changes and Sudan black B was used to study whether there were inflammatory reactions in zebrafish liver or not. Then TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) was used to detect the apoptotic signal of zebrafish liver cells, finally the mRNA expression levels as well as the protein expression levels of the targets in NF-κB and P53 pathways in zebrafish were measured by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot. Molecular docking results showed that AE could successfully dock with all the targets of NF-κB and P53 pathways, and the docking scores of most of the targets were equal to or higher than that of the corresponding ligands. Pathological sections showed AE could cause zebrafish liver lesions and the result of Sudan black B staining revealed that AE blackened the liver of zebrafish with Sudan black B. Then TUNEL assay showed that a large number of dense apoptotic signals were observed in AE group, mainly distributed in the liver and yolk sac of zebrafish. The results of qRT-PCR and western blot showed that AE increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic targets in NF-κB and P53 pathways. AE could activate the NF-κB inflammatory pathway and the P53 apoptosis pathway, and its hepatotoxic mechanism was related to activation of NF-κB-P53 inflammation-apoptosis pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyun Quan
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, National Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Systematic Research, Development and Utilization of Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Lihong Gong
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, National Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Systematic Research, Development and Utilization of Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Junlin He
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, National Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Systematic Research, Development and Utilization of Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Yimeng Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, National Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Systematic Research, Development and Utilization of Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Meichen Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, National Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Systematic Research, Development and Utilization of Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Zhixing Cao
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, National Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Systematic Research, Development and Utilization of Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Yunxia Li
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, National Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Systematic Research, Development and Utilization of Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Cheng Peng
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, National Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Systematic Research, Development and Utilization of Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China.
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8
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Orouji E, Utikal J. Tackling malignant melanoma epigenetically: histone lysine methylation. Clin Epigenetics 2018; 10:145. [PMID: 30466474 PMCID: PMC6249913 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-018-0583-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-translational histone modifications such as acetylation and methylation can affect gene expression. Histone acetylation is commonly associated with activation of gene expression whereas histone methylation is linked to either activation or repression of gene expression. Depending on the site of histone modification, several histone marks can be present throughout the genome. A combination of these histone marks can shape global chromatin architecture, and changes in patterns of marks can affect the transcriptomic landscape. Alterations in several histone marks are associated with different types of cancers, and these alterations are distinct from marks found in original normal tissues. Therefore, it is hypothesized that patterns of histone marks can change during the process of tumorigenesis. This review focuses on histone methylation changes (both removal and addition of methyl groups) in malignant melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, and the implications of specific inhibitors of these modifications as a combinatorial therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias Orouji
- Department of Genomic Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1901 East Rd. South Campus Research Building 4, Houston, TX, 77054, USA. .,Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany. .,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Jochen Utikal
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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9
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Kenyon A, Gavriouchkina D, Zorman J, Chong-Morrison V, Napolitani G, Cerundolo V, Sauka-Spengler T. Generation of a double binary transgenic zebrafish model to study myeloid gene regulation in response to oncogene activation in melanocytes. Dis Model Mech 2018; 11:dmm030056. [PMID: 29666124 PMCID: PMC5963855 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.030056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A complex network of inflammatory genes is closely linked to somatic cell transformation and malignant disease. Immune cells and their associated molecules are responsible for detecting and eliminating cancer cells as they establish themselves as the precursors of a tumour. By the time a patient has a detectable solid tumour, cancer cells have escaped the initial immune response mechanisms. Here, we describe the development of a double binary zebrafish model that enables regulatory programming of the myeloid cells as they respond to oncogene-activated melanocytes to be explored, focussing on the initial phase when cells become the precursors of cancer. A hormone-inducible binary system allows for temporal control of expression of different Ras oncogenes (NRasQ61K, HRasG12V and KRasG12V) in melanocytes, leading to proliferation and changes in morphology of the melanocytes. This model was coupled to binary cell-specific biotagging models allowing in vivo biotinylation and subsequent isolation of macrophage or neutrophil nuclei for regulatory profiling of their active transcriptomes. Nuclear transcriptional profiling of neutrophils, performed as they respond to the earliest precursors of melanoma in vivo, revealed an intricate landscape of regulatory factors that may promote progression to melanoma, including Serpinb1l4, Fgf1, Fgf6, Cathepsin H, Galectin 1 and Galectin 3. The model presented here provides a powerful platform to study the myeloid response to the earliest precursors of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Kenyon
- University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
- University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Daria Gavriouchkina
- University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Jernej Zorman
- University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Vanessa Chong-Morrison
- University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Giorgio Napolitani
- University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Vincenzo Cerundolo
- University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Tatjana Sauka-Spengler
- University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
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10
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Stueven NA, Schlaeger NM, Monte AP, Hwang SPL, Huang CC. A novel stilbene-like compound that inhibits melanoma growth by regulating melanocyte differentiation and proliferation. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2017; 337:30-38. [PMID: 29042215 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Current challenges to melanoma therapy include the adverse effects from immunobiologics, resistance to drugs targeting the MAPK pathway, intricate interaction of many signal pathways, and cancer heterogeneity. Thus combinational therapy with drugs targeting multiple signaling pathways becomes a new promising therapy. Here, we report a family of stilbene-like compounds called A11 that can inhibit melanoma growth in both melanoma-forming zebrafish embryos and mouse melanoma cells. The growth inhibition by A11 is a result of mitosis reduction but not apoptosis enhancement. Meanwhile, A11 activates both MAPK and Akt signaling pathways. Many A11-treated mouse melanoma cells exhibit morphological changes and resemble normal melanocytes. Furthermore, we found that A11 causes down-regulation of melanocyte differentiation genes, including Pax3 and MITF. Together, our results suggest that A11 could be a new melanoma therapeutic agent by inhibiting melanocyte differentiation and proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah A Stueven
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, River Falls, WI 54022, United States
| | - Nicholas M Schlaeger
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, River Falls, WI 54022, United States
| | - Aaron P Monte
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI 54601, United States
| | - Sheng-Ping L Hwang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chen Huang
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, River Falls, WI 54022, United States.
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11
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Kirchberger S, Sturtzel C, Pascoal S, Distel M. Quo natas, Danio? -Recent Progress in Modeling Cancer in Zebrafish. Front Oncol 2017; 7:186. [PMID: 28894696 PMCID: PMC5581328 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2017.00186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, zebrafish has proven to be a powerful model in cancer research. Zebrafish form tumors that histologically and genetically resemble human cancers. The live imaging and cost-effective compound screening possible with zebrafish especially complement classic mouse cancer models. Here, we report recent progress in the field, including genetically engineered zebrafish cancer models, xenotransplantation of human cancer cells into zebrafish, promising approaches toward live investigation of the tumor microenvironment, and identification of therapeutic strategies by performing compound screens on zebrafish cancer models. Given the recent advances in genome editing, personalized zebrafish cancer models are now a realistic possibility. In addition, ongoing automation will soon allow high-throughput compound screening using zebrafish cancer models to be part of preclinical precision medicine approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Kirchberger
- St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Children's Cancer Research Institute, Innovative Cancer Models, Vienna, Austria
| | - Caterina Sturtzel
- St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Children's Cancer Research Institute, Innovative Cancer Models, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susana Pascoal
- St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Children's Cancer Research Institute, Innovative Cancer Models, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Distel
- St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Children's Cancer Research Institute, Innovative Cancer Models, Vienna, Austria
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12
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van Rooijen E, Fazio M, Zon LI. From fish bowl to bedside: The power of zebrafish to unravel melanoma pathogenesis and discover new therapeutics. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2017; 30:402-412. [PMID: 28379616 PMCID: PMC6038924 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive and deadliest form of skin cancer. A detailed knowledge of the cellular, molecular, and genetic events underlying melanoma progression is highly relevant to diagnosis, prognosis and risk stratification, and the development of new therapies. In the last decade, zebrafish have emerged as a valuable model system for the study of melanoma. Pathway conservation, coupled with the availability of robust genetic, transgenic, and chemical tools, has made the zebrafish a powerful model for identifying novel disease genes, visualizing cancer initiation, interrogating tumor-microenvironment interactions, and discovering new therapeutics that regulate melanocyte and melanoma development. In this review, we will give an overview of these studies, and highlight recent advancements that will help unravel melanoma pathogenesis and impact human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen van Rooijen
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maurizio Fazio
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- PhD program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, 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 Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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13
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Mahalwar P, Singh AP, Fadeev A, Nüsslein-Volhard C, Irion U. Heterotypic interactions regulate cell shape and density during color pattern formation in zebrafish. Biol Open 2016; 5:1680-1690. [PMID: 27742608 PMCID: PMC5155543 DOI: 10.1242/bio.022251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The conspicuous striped coloration of zebrafish is produced by cell-cell interactions among three different types of chromatophores: black melanophores, orange/yellow xanthophores and silvery/blue iridophores. During color pattern formation xanthophores undergo dramatic cell shape transitions and acquire different densities, leading to compact and orange xanthophores at high density in the light stripes, and stellate, faintly pigmented xanthophores at low density in the dark stripes. Here, we investigate the mechanistic basis of these cell behaviors in vivo, and show that local, heterotypic interactions with dense iridophores regulate xanthophore cell shape transition and density. Genetic analysis reveals a cell-autonomous requirement of gap junctions composed of Cx41.8 and Cx39.4 in xanthophores for their iridophore-dependent cell shape transition and increase in density in light-stripe regions. Initial melanophore-xanthophore interactions are independent of these gap junctions; however, subsequently they are also required to induce the acquisition of stellate shapes in xanthophores of the dark stripes. In summary, we conclude that, whereas homotypic interactions regulate xanthophore coverage in the skin, their cell shape transitions and density is regulated by gap junction-mediated, heterotypic interactions with iridophores and melanophores. Summary: The conspicuous pigmentation pattern of zebrafish is produced by three kinds of interacting pigment cells. Here we address the cellular consequences of these interactions in wild-type fish and mutants with altered pigment patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prateek Mahalwar
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstrasse 35, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Ajeet Pratap Singh
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstrasse 35, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Andrey Fadeev
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstrasse 35, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | | | - Uwe Irion
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstrasse 35, Tübingen 72076, Germany
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14
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Ceol CJ, Houvras Y. Uncharted Waters: Zebrafish Cancer Models Navigate a Course for Oncogene Discovery. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 916:3-19. [PMID: 27165347 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30654-4_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Over a decade has elapsed since the first genetically-engineered zebrafish cancer model was described. During this time remarkable progress has been made. Sophisticated genetic tools have been built to generate oncogene expressing cancers and characterize multiple models of solid and blood tumors. These models have led to unique insights into mechanisms of tumor initiation and progression. New drug targets have been identified, particularly through the functional analysis of cancer genomes. Now in the second decade, zebrafish cancer models are poised for even faster growth as they are used in high-throughput genetic analyses to elucidate key mechanisms underlying critical cancer phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig J Ceol
- Program in Molecular Medicine and Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
| | - Yariv Houvras
- Departments of Surgery and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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Astin JW, Crosier PS. Lymphatics, Cancer and Zebrafish. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 916:199-218. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30654-4_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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16
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Chernyavskaya Y, Kent B, Sadler KC. Zebrafish Discoveries in Cancer Epigenetics. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 916:169-97. [PMID: 27165354 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30654-4_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The cancer epigenome is fundamentally different than that of normal cells. How these differences arise in and contribute to carcinogenesis is not known, and studies using model organisms such as zebrafish provide an opportunity to address these important questions. Modifications of histones and DNA comprise the complex epigenome, and these influence chromatin structure, genome stability and gene expression, all of which are fundamental to the cellular changes that cause cancer. The cancer genome atlas covers the wide spectrum of genetic changes associated with nearly every cancer type, however, this catalog is currently uni-dimensional. As the pattern of epigenetic marks and chromatin structure in cancer cells is described and overlaid on the mutational landscape, the map of the cancer genome becomes multi-dimensional and highly complex. Two major questions remain in the field: (1) how the epigenome becomes repatterned in cancer and (2) which of these changes are cancer-causing. Zebrafish provide a tractable in vivo system to monitor the epigenome during transformation and to identify epigenetic drivers of cancer. In this chapter, we review principles of cancer epigenetics and discuss recent work using zebrafish whereby epigenetic modifiers were established as cancer driver genes, thus providing novel insights into the mechanisms of epigenetic reprogramming in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yelena Chernyavskaya
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1020, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1020, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Brandon Kent
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1020, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1020, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- School of Biomedical Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1020, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Kirsten C Sadler
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1020, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1020, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- School of Biomedical Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1020, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Biology Program, New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Campus, 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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Epigenetic modifications in cutaneous malignant melanoma: EZH2, H3K4me2, and H3K27me3 immunohistochemical expression is enhanced at the invasion front of the tumor. Am J Dermatopathol 2015; 37:138-44. [PMID: 25614949 DOI: 10.1097/dad.0b013e31828a2d54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells and the misregulation of epigenetic modifications have been identified to possess a determinative role in carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression profile of EZH2 and H3K4me2 and H3K27me3, which constitute stem cell-like "bivalent" domains, in cutaneous malignant melanoma. A comparative analysis of their immunohistochemical expression between the invasion front (IF) and the inner tumor mass was also evaluated. Immunohistochemical methodology was performed on sections of 89 melanoma lesions from 79 patients. The 3 markers studied were identified in the cell nuclei of melanoma cells, nevus cells, and normal epidermal keratinocytes. A specific distribution pattern of H3K4me2 and H3K27me3 was found, as stronger levels were localized at the IF of the tumor (P = 0.034 and P < 0.01, respectively). In general, H3K4me2 and H3K27me3 levels were lower in metastatic with respect to primary melanoma cases (P = 0.0065 and P = 0.027, respectively). Advanced melanoma demonstrated significantly lower H3K4 immunohistochemical expression than did cases of lowest Clark level (I) (P = 0.038) or low Breslow depth (≤1 mm; P < 0.001). Furthermore, EZH2 expression in melanoma cells was higher compared with that in nevus cells (P = 0.02). A positive correlation between EZH2-H3K27me3 (P = 0.03) and H3K4me2-H3K27me3 (P < 0.01) in melanoma cells was also found. Our results suggest the possibility that combined immunohistochemical expression of EZH2, H3K4me2, and H3K27me3 might identify cancer cells with potential stem cell properties, particularly at the IF of this malignancy. This hypothesis should be further investigated, as many of the epigenetic changes are reversible via pharmacologic manipulations and new therapies, overpassing the resistance of advanced melanoma, may be developed.
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Fadeev A, Krauss J, Frohnhöfer HG, Irion U, Nüsslein-Volhard C. Tight Junction Protein 1a regulates pigment cell organisation during zebrafish colour patterning. eLife 2015; 4. [PMID: 25915619 PMCID: PMC4446668 DOI: 10.7554/elife.06545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2015] [Accepted: 04/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish display a prominent pattern of alternating dark and light stripes generated by the precise positioning of pigment cells in the skin. This arrangement is the result of coordinated cell movements, cell shape changes, and the organisation of pigment cells during metamorphosis. Iridophores play a crucial part in this process by switching between the dense form of the light stripes and the loose form of the dark stripes. Adult schachbrett (sbr) mutants exhibit delayed changes in iridophore shape and organisation caused by truncations in Tight Junction Protein 1a (ZO-1a). In sbr mutants, the dark stripes are interrupted by dense iridophores invading as coherent sheets. Immuno-labelling and chimeric analyses indicate that Tjp1a is expressed in dense iridophores but down-regulated in the loose form. Tjp1a is a novel regulator of cell shape changes during colour pattern formation and the first cytoplasmic protein implicated in this process. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06545.001 The striking horizontal striped pattern of the zebrafish makes it a decorative addition to many home aquariums. The stripes are a result of three different pigment cells interacting with each other, and first begin to emerge when the animal is two to three weeks old. At that time, iridescent cells called iridophores begin to multiply and spread in the skin. In the light-coloured stripes, the iridophores are compact and ‘dense’; in the dark stripes the cells change into a ‘loose’ shape and organisation. Black-pigmented cells fill in the dark stripes, and a third cell type with a yellow hue condenses over the light stripes. How the three types of cell work together to make the striped pattern is not fully understood. Fadeev et al. examined a zebrafish variant with a genetic mutation that disrupts the function of a protein called Tight Junction Protein 1a (or Tjp1a)—a fish variant of a mammalian protein called ZO-1. This protein helps cells to interact with each other. The mutant fish appear spotted rather than striped, because light regions containing sheets of the dense iridophores interrupt the dark stripes. Experiments using fluorescent markers showed that Tjp1a is produced in much lower amounts in the loose iridophores in the dark stripes than in the dense iridophores of the light stripes. This led Fadeev et al. to suggest that the transition from the dense to the loose shape is dependent on the presence of Tjp1a in the cell. Tjp1a is likely to regulate how colour patterns form by controlling how iridophores interact with other types of pigment cell. The Tjp1a mutant fish provides the first glimpse into the machinery inside cells that underlies colour pattern formation, and will help to identify other components and cues responsible for cell interactions. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06545.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Fadeev
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jana Krauss
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Uwe Irion
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
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19
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Kang N, Chen P, Chen Y, Zeng H, He X, Zhu Y. PRMT6 mediates CSE induced inflammation and apoptosis. Int Immunopharmacol 2015; 24:95-101. [PMID: 25481537 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2014.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Revised: 10/09/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Cigarette smoke extract (CSE) induces apoptosis and inflammation, but the mechanism is unknown. Arginine methyltransferase (PRMT6) catalyzes the asymmetric di-methylation of histone H3 arginine 2 (H3R2me2a) to control global level transcription. We hypothesized that PRMT6 mediates CSE induced apoptosis and inflammation through H3R2me2a. The apoptosis after CSE treatment in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was fully measured with real-time reverse transcription PCR, western blotting and Annexin-V staining. Meanwhile, the inflammation in HUVECs after CSE exposure was detected with real-time reverse transcription PCR, western blotting and ELISA. CSE treatment promoted apoptosis and inflammation in HUVECs, coinciding with the decreased protein abundance of PRMT6. Meanwhile, HUVECs transfected with PRMT6 expressing plasmid inhibited the CSE-induced apoptosis and inflammation. Also, the inhibition of PRMT6 promoted the apoptosis and inflammation in HUVECs induced by CSE. Notably, H3R2me2a was associated with the modulation of PRMT6 in CSE induced apoptosis and inflammation in HUVECs. In conclusion, PRMT6 mediates CSE induced apoptosis and inflammation through H3R2me2a in HUVECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naixing Kang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central-South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central-South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central-South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
| | - Huihui Zeng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central-South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Xue He
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central-South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Yingqun Zhu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Third Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan 410015, China
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20
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Abstract
The process of de novo vessel formation, called angiogenesis, is essential for tumor progression and spreading. Targeting of molecular pathways involved in such tumor angiogenetic processes by using specific drugs or inhibitors is important for developing new anticancer therapies. Drug discovery remains to be the main focus for biomedical research and represents the essence of antiangiogenesis cancer research. To pursue these molecular and pharmacological goals, researchers need to use animal models that facilitate the elucidation of tumor angiogenesis mechanisms and the testing of antiangiogenic therapies. The past few years have seen the zebrafish system emerge as a valid model organism to study developmental angiogenesis and, more recently, as an alternative vertebrate model for cancer research. In this review, we will discuss why the zebrafish model system has the advantage of being a vertebrate model equipped with easy and powerful transgenesis as well as imaging tools to investigate not only physiological angiogenesis but also tumor angiogenesis. We will also highlight the potential of zebrafish for identifying antitumor angiogenesis drugs to block tumor development and progression. We foresee the zebrafish model as an important system that can possibly complement well-established mouse models in cancer research to generate novel insights into the molecular mechanism of the tumor angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo M Santoro
- From the Laboratory of Endothelial Molecular Biology, Vesalius Research Center, Katholieke University Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; and Vesalius Research Center, VIB, Leuven, Belgium.
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21
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Insights from Genetic Models of Melanoma in Fish. CURRENT PATHOBIOLOGY REPORTS 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s40139-014-0043-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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22
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Yen J, White RM, Stemple DL. Zebrafish models of cancer: progress and future challenges. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2014; 24:38-45. [PMID: 24657535 PMCID: PMC4003353 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2013.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2013] [Revised: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 11/03/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The need for scalable strategies to probe the biological consequences of candidate cancer genes has never been more pressing. The zebrafish, with its capacity for high-throughput transgenesis, in vivo imaging and chemical/genetic screening, has ideal features for undertaking this task. Unique biological insights from zebrafish have already led to the identification of novel oncogenic drivers and small molecules being used to treat the human cancer. This review summarizes the recent main findings and describes pertinent areas where the zebrafish can greatly contribute to our understanding of cancer biology and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Yen
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Richard M White
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 11788, United States
| | - Derek L Stemple
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom.
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23
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Williams TD, Mirbahai L, Chipman JK. The toxicological application of transcriptomics and epigenomics in zebrafish and other teleosts. Brief Funct Genomics 2014; 13:157-71. [DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elt053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
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24
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Trede NS, Heaton W, Ridges S, Sofla H, Cusick M, Bearss D, Jones D, Fujinami RS. Discovery of Biologically Active Oncologic and Immunologic Small Molecule Therapies using Zebrafish: Overview and Example of Modulation of T Cell Activation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; Chapter 14:Unit14.24. [DOI: 10.1002/0471141755.ph1424s60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaus S. Trede
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute Salt Lake City Utah
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah
| | - William Heaton
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute Salt Lake City Utah
| | - Suzanne Ridges
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute Salt Lake City Utah
| | - Hossein Sofla
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute Salt Lake City Utah
| | - Matthew Cusick
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah
| | - David Bearss
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute Salt Lake City Utah
| | - David Jones
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute Salt Lake City Utah
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25
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Abstract
For decades, the advancement of cancer research has relied on in vivo models for examining key processes in cancer pathogenesis, including neoplastic transformation, progression, and response to therapy. These studies, which have traditionally relied on rodent models, have engendered a vast body of scientific literature. Recently, experimental cancer researchers have embraced many new and alternative model systems, including the zebrafish ( Danio rerio). The general benefits of the zebrafish model for laboratory investigation, such as cost, size, fecundity, and generation time, were quickly superseded by the discovery that zebrafish are amenable to a wide range of investigative techniques, many of which are difficult or impossible to perform in mammalian models. These advantages, coupled with the finding that many aspects of carcinogenesis are conserved in zebrafish as compared with humans, have firmly established a unique niche for the zebrafish model in comparative cancer research. This article introduces methods for generating cancer models in zebrafish and reviews a range of models that have been developed for specific cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. R. Shive
- Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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26
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Mione M, Armant O. Fishing for melanoma markers through comparative transcriptome analysis. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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27
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Schartl M, Kneitz S, Wilde B, Wagner T, Henkel CV, Spaink HP, Meierjohann S. Conserved expression signatures between medaka and human pigment cell tumors. PLoS One 2012; 7:e37880. [PMID: 22693581 PMCID: PMC3365055 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrations in gene expression are a hallmark of cancer cells. Differential tumor-specific transcript levels of single genes or whole sets of genes may be critical for the neoplastic phenotype and important for therapeutic considerations or useful as biomarkers. As an approach to filter out such relevant expression differences from the plethora of changes noted in global expression profiling studies, we searched for changes of gene expression levels that are conserved. Transcriptomes from massive parallel sequencing of different types of melanoma from medaka were generated and compared to microarray datasets from zebrafish and human melanoma. This revealed molecular conservation at various levels between fish models and human tumors providing a useful strategy for identifying expression signatures strongly associated with disease phenotypes and uncovering new melanoma molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred Schartl
- Physiological Chemistry I, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
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28
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Tamplin OJ, White RM, Jing L, Kaufman CK, Lacadie SA, Li P, Taylor AM, Zon LI. Small molecule screening in zebrafish: swimming in potential drug therapies. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2012; 1:459-68. [PMID: 23801494 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Phenotype-driven chemical genetic screens in zebrafish have become a proven approach for both dissection of developmental mechanisms and discovery of potential therapeutics. A library of small molecules can be arrayed into multiwell plates containing zebrafish embryos. The embryo becomes a whole organism in vivo bioassay that can produce a phenotype upon treatment. Screens have been performed that are based simply on the morphology of the embryo. Other screens have scored complex phenotypes using whole mount in situ hybridization, fluorescent transgenic reporters, and even tracking of embryo movement. The availability of many well-characterized zebrafish mutants has also enabled the discovery of chemical suppressors of genetic phenotypes. Importantly, the application of chemical libraries that already contain FDA-approved drugs has allowed the rapid translation of hits from zebrafish chemical screens to clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen J Tamplin
- Stem Cell Program and Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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29
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Abstract
Zebrafish provide an exciting animal model system for the study of human cancers. During the last few years many zebrafish models of cancer have been generated that recapitulate human hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Concurrent technological advances have significantly improved the genetic tractability and unique advantage of in vivo imaging in zebrafish, providing a means to dissect the molecular pathways underlying tumor initiation, progression and metastasis. Comparisons of cancer-associated gene expression profiles have demonstrated a high degree of similarity in the gene signatures of specific types of tumor cells in fish and humans, indicating that the contributing genetic pathways leading to cancer are evolutionarily conserved. Furthermore, the high fecundity, optical clarity and small embryo size of zebrafish continue to make it particularly amenable to performing whole-organism small molecule screens to identify targets for therapeutic development. This chapter reviews a wide array of these zebrafish cancer models and illustrates the advantages of the zebrafish system for exploring the molecular mechanisms governing cancer-related cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Etchin
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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30
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Regneri J, Schartl M. Expression regulation triggers oncogenicity of xmrk alleles in the Xiphophorus melanoma system. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2012; 155:71-80. [PMID: 21527356 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2011.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2011] [Revised: 04/08/2011] [Accepted: 04/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The Xiphophorus melanoma model has gained attention in biomedical research as a genetic model for tumor formation. Melanoma development in interspecific hybrids of Xiphophorus is connected to pigment cell specific overexpression of the mutationally activated receptor tyrosine kinase Xmrk. In purebred fish the oncogenic function of xmrk is suppressed by a so far unknown regulator locus R. To test the hypothesis that R is involved in transcriptional regulation of xmrk and consequently acts upstream of the xmrk signal, we performed a quantitative analysis of xmrk transcript levels in normal and melanoma tissues of different Xiphophorus genotypes carrying either a highly tumorigenic or a non-tumorigenic xmrk allele. Our results demonstrate that expression of the tumorigenic xmrk allele is highly increased in malignant melanomas compared to benign lesions, macromelanophore spots, and healthy skin. Transcription of the non-tumorigenic xmrk allele in pigment cells, in contrast, is not influenced by the presence or absence of R. These findings strongly indicate that differential transcriptional regulation of the xmrk promoter determines the tumorigenic potential of xmrk alleles in the Xiphophorus melanoma system, thereby supporting the hypothesis that R suppresses the oncogenic function of xmrk on the level of transcriptional control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Regneri
- Physiological Chemistry I, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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31
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D'Antonio M, Pendino V, Sinha S, Ciccarelli FD. Network of Cancer Genes (NCG 3.0): integration and analysis of genetic and network properties of cancer genes. Nucleic Acids Res 2012; 40:D978-83. [PMID: 22080562 PMCID: PMC3245144 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkr952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2011] [Accepted: 10/12/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of a constantly increasing number of genes whose mutations are causally implicated in tumor initiation and progression (cancer genes) requires the development of tools to store and analyze them. The Network of Cancer Genes (NCG 3.0) collects information on 1494 cancer genes that have been found mutated in 16 different cancer types. These genes were collected from the Cancer Gene Census as well as from 18 whole exome and 11 whole-genome screenings of cancer samples. For each cancer gene, NCG 3.0 provides a summary of the gene features and the cross-reference to other databases. In addition, it describes duplicability, evolutionary origin, orthology, network properties, interaction partners, microRNA regulation and functional roles of cancer genes and of all genes that are related to them. This integrated network of information can be used to better characterize cancer genes in the context of the system in which they act. The data can also be used to identify novel candidates that share the same properties of known cancer genes and may therefore play a similar role in cancer. NCG 3.0 is freely available at http://bio.ifom-ieo-campus.it/ncg.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Francesca D. Ciccarelli
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, IFOM-IEO Campus, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
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32
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Mudbhary R, Sadler KC. Epigenetics, development, and cancer: zebrafish make their mark.. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 93:194-203. [PMID: 21671358 DOI: 10.1002/bdrc.20207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish embryos are an exceptional system for studying vertebrate development. Historically, studies using zebrafish to uncover key players in developmentally regulated gene expression have entailed detailed analysis of transcription factors. It is now apparent that epigenetic modifications of both DNA and histone tails are equally important in the regulation of gene expression during development. As such, blocking the function of key epigenetic modifiers impairs development, albeit with surprising tissue specificity. For instance, DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark that is depleted in embryos lacking dnmt1 and uhrf1. These embryos display developmental defects in the eye, liver, pancreas, and larval lethality. Interestingly, human tumors derived from these same organs have aberrant changes in DNA methylation and altered expression of genes that are thought to contribute to formation of these cancers. These observations have provided a mechanistic basis for treating cancer with drugs that block the enzymes that facilitate DNA and histone modifications. Thus, it is important to understand the consequences of targeting these factors in a whole animal. We review the use of zebrafish for probing the genetic, cellular, and physiological response to alterations in the epigenome and highlight exciting data illustrating that epigenetic studies using zebrafish can inform and impact cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raksha Mudbhary
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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33
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Abstract
First established as a valuable vertebrate model system for studying development, zebrafish have emerged as an attractive animal system for modeling human cancers. Major technical advances have been essential for the generation of zebrafish cancer models relevant to human diseases. These models develop tumors in various organ sites that bear striking resemblance to human malignances, both histologically and genetically. Thus, the focus of cancer research in zebrafish has transcended the need to validate zebrafish as a viable model organism to study cancer biology. With the significant advantages of in vivo imaging, the power of forward genetics, well-established high efficiency for transgenesis, and ease of transplantation, further exploration of the zebrafish cancer models not only will generate unique insights into underlying mechanisms of cancer but will also provide platforms useful for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Liu
- Department of Surgery, McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
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34
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Abstract
The generation of complex organisms requires that an initial population of cells with identical gene expression profiles can adopt different cell fates during development by progressively diverging transcriptional programs. These programs depend on the binding of transcritional regulators to specific genomic sites, which in turn is controlled by modifications of the chromatin. Chromatin modifications may occur directly upon DNA by methylation of specific nucleotides, or may involve post-translational modification of histones. Local regulation of histone post-translational modifications regionalizes the genome into euchromatic regions, which are more accessible to DNA-binding factors, and condensed heterochromatic regions, inhibiting the binding of such factors. In addition, these modifications may be required in a genome-wide fashion for processes such as DNA replication or chromosome condensation. From an embryologist's point of view chromatin modifications are intensively studied in the context of imprinting and have more recently received increasing attention in understanding the basis of pluripotency and cellular differentiation. Here, we describe recently uncovered roles of chromatin modifications in zebrafish development and regeneration, as well as available resources and commonly used techniques. We provide a general introduction into chromatin modifications and their respective functions with a focus on gene transcription, as well as key aspects of their roles in the early zebrafish embryo, neural development, formation of the digestive system and tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Cayuso Mas
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, London, NW7 1AA, UK
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35
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Feng Y, Santoriello C, Mione M, Hurlstone A, Martin P. Live imaging of innate immune cell sensing of transformed cells in zebrafish larvae: parallels between tumor initiation and wound inflammation. PLoS Biol 2010; 8:e1000562. [PMID: 21179501 PMCID: PMC3001901 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2010] [Accepted: 10/29/2010] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
It has not previously been possible to live image the earliest interactions between the host environment and oncogene-transformed cells as they initiate formation of cancers within an organism. Here we take advantage of the translucency of zebrafish larvae to observe the host innate immune cell response as oncogene-transformed melanoblasts and goblet cells multiply within the larval skin. Our studies indicate activation of leukocytes at very early stages in larvae carrying a transformed cell burden. Locally, we see recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages by 48 h post-fertilization, when transformed cells are still only singletons or doublets, and soon after this we see intimate associations between immune and transformed cells and frequent examples of cytoplasmic tethers linking the two cell types, as well as engulfment of transformed cells by both neutrophils and macrophages. We show that a major component of the signal drawing inflammatory cells to oncogenic HRAS(G12V)-transformed cells is H(2)O(2), which is also a key damage cue responsible for recruiting neutrophils to a wound. Our short-term blocking experiments show that preventing recruitment of immune cells at these early stages results in reduced growth of transformed cell clones and suggests that immune cells may provide a source of trophic support to the transformed cells just as they do at a site of tissue repair. These parallels between the inflammatory responses to transformed cells and to wounds reinforce the suggestion by others that cancers resemble non-healing wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Feng
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | | | - Marina Mione
- IFOM, the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology Foundation, Milan, Italy
| | - Adam Hurlstone
- Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Martin
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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36
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Kita driven expression of oncogenic HRAS leads to early onset and highly penetrant melanoma in zebrafish. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15170. [PMID: 21170325 PMCID: PMC3000817 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2010] [Accepted: 10/27/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Melanoma is the most aggressive and lethal form of skin cancer. Because of the increasing incidence and high lethality of melanoma, animal models for continuously observing melanoma formation and progression as well as for testing pharmacological agents are needed. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Using the combinatorial Gal4-UAS system, we have developed a zebrafish transgenic line that expresses oncogenic HRAS under the kita promoter. Already at 3 days transgenic kita-GFP-RAS larvae show a hyper-pigmentation phenotype as earliest evidence of abnormal melanocyte growth. By 2-4 weeks, masses of transformed melanocytes form in the tail stalk of the majority of kita-GFP-RAS transgenic fish. The adult tumors evident between 1-3 months of age faithfully reproduce the immunological, histological and molecular phenotypes of human melanoma, but on a condensed time-line. Furthermore, they show transplantability, dependence on mitfa expression and do not require additional mutations in tumor suppressors. In contrast to kita expressing melanocyte progenitors that efficiently develop melanoma, mitfa expressing progenitors in a second Gal4-driver line were 4 times less efficient in developing melanoma during the three months observation period. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE This indicates that zebrafish kita promoter is a powerful tool for driving oncogene expression in the right cells and at the right level to induce early onset melanoma in the presence of tumor suppressors. Thus our zebrafish model provides a link between kita expressing melanocyte progenitors and melanoma and offers the advantage of a larval phenotype suitable for large scale drug and genetic modifier screens.
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Abstract
For the last three decades significant parts of national science budgets, and international and private funding worldwide, have been dedicated to cancer research. This has resulted in a number of important scientific findings. Studies in tissue culture have multiplied our knowledge of cancer cell pathophysiology, mechanisms of transformation and strategies of survival of cancer cells, revealing therapeutically exploitable differences to normal cells. Rodent animal models have provided important insights on the developmental biology of cancer cells and on host responses to the transformed cells. However, the rate of death from some malignancies is still high, and the incidence of cancer is increasing in the western hemisphere. Alternative animal models are needed, where cancer cell biology, developmental biology and treatment can be studied in an integrated way. The zebrafish offers a number of features, such as its rapid development, tractable genetics, suitability for in vivo imaging and chemical screening, that make it an attractive model to cancer researchers. This Primer will provide a synopsis of the different cancer models generated by the zebrafish community to date. It will discuss the use of these models to further our understanding of the mechanisms of cancer development, and to promote drug discovery. The article was inspired by a workshop on the topic held in July 2009 in Spoleto, Italy, where a number of new zebrafish cancer models were presented. The overarching goal of the article is aimed at raising the awareness of basic researchers, as well as clinicians, to the versatility of this emerging alternative animal model of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina C Mione
- IFOM Foundation - FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology Foundation, via Adamello, Milan, Italy.
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38
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Abstract
Experimental animal models are extremely valuable for the study of human diseases, especially those with underlying genetic components. The exploitation of various animal models, from fruitflies to mice, has led to major advances in our understanding of the etiologies of many diseases, including cancer. Cutaneous malignant melanoma is a form of cancer for which both environmental insult (i.e., UV) and hereditary predisposition are major causative factors. Fish melanoma models have been used in studies of both spontaneous and induced melanoma formation. Genetic hybrids between platyfish and swordtails, different species of the genus Xiphophorus, have been studied since the 1920s to identify genetic determinants of pigmentation and melanoma formation. Recently, transgenesis has been used to develop zebrafish and medaka models for melanoma research. This review will provide a historical perspective on the use of fish models in melanoma research, and an updated summary of current and prospective studies using these unique experimental systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Elizabeth Patton
- Institute for Genetics and Molecular Medicine, MRC Human Genetics Unit and Division of Cancer Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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