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Wu X, Hua X, Xu K, Song Y, Lv T. Zebrafish in Lung Cancer Research. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4721. [PMID: 37835415 PMCID: PMC10571557 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194721] [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: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish is increasingly used as a model organism for cancer research because of its genetic and physiological similarities to humans. Modeling lung cancer (LC) in zebrafish has received significant attention. This review focuses on the insights gained from using zebrafish in LC research. These insights range from investigating the genetic and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development and progression of LC to identifying potential drug targets, testing the efficacy and toxicity of new therapies, and applying zebrafish for personalized medicine studies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of LC research performed using zebrafish, highlights the advantages and limitations of this model organism, and discusses future directions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodi Wu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; (X.W.); (K.X.)
| | - Xin Hua
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Southeast University Medical College, Nanjing 210096, China;
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; (X.W.); (K.X.)
| | - Yong Song
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Southeast University Medical College, Nanjing 210096, China;
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, China
| | - Tangfeng Lv
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; (X.W.); (K.X.)
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, China
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Dang F, Wei W. Targeting the acetylation signaling pathway in cancer therapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 85:209-218. [PMID: 33705871 PMCID: PMC8423867 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Acetylation represents one of the major post-translational protein modifications, which introduces an acetyl functional group into amino acids such as the lysine residue to yield an acetate ester bond, neutralizing its positive charge. Regulation of protein functions by acetylation occurs in multiple ways, such as affecting protein stability, activity, localization, and interaction with other proteins or DNA. It has been well documented that the recruitment of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) to the transcriptional machinery can modulate histone acetylation status, which is directly involved in the dynamic regulation of genes controlling cell proliferation and division. Dysregulation of gene expression is involved in tumorigenesis and aberrant activation of histone deacetylases has been reported in several types of cancer. Moreover, there is growing body of evidence showing that acetylation is widely involved in non-histone proteins to impact their roles in various cellular processes including tumorigenesis. As such, small molecular compounds inhibiting HAT or HDAC enzymatic activities have been developed and investigated for therapeutic purpose. Here we review the recent progress in our understanding of protein acetylation and discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting the acetylation signaling pathway in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabin Dang
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Wenyi Wei
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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Martini D, Pucci C, Gabellini C, Pellegrino M, Andreazzoli M. Exposure to the natural alkaloid Berberine affects cardiovascular system morphogenesis and functionality during zebrafish development. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17358. [PMID: 33060638 PMCID: PMC7566475 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73661-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The plant-derived natural alkaloid berberine displays therapeutic potential to treat several pathological conditions, including dyslipidemias, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. However, data on berberine effects during embryonic development are scarce and in part controversial. In this study, using zebrafish embryos as vertebrate experimental model, we address the effects of berberine treatment on cardiovascular system development and functionality. Starting from the observation that berberine induces developmental toxicity and pericardial edema in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, we found that treated embryos display cardiac looping defects and, at later stages, present an abnormal heart characterized by a stretched morphology and atrial endocardial/myocardial detachment. Furthermore, berberine affected cardiac functionality of the embryos, promoting bradycardia and reducing the cardiac output, the atrial shortening fraction percentage and the atrial stroke volume. We also found that, during development, berberine interferes with the angiogenic process, without altering vascular permeability. These alterations are associated with increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor aa (vegfaa) mRNA, suggesting an important role for Vegfaa as mediator of berberine-induced cardiovascular defects. Altogether, these data indicate that berberine treatment during vertebrate development leads to an impairment of cardiovascular system morphogenesis and functionality, suggesting a note of caution in its use during pregnancy and lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Martini
- Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, SS12 Abetone e Brennero, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cecilia Pucci
- Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, SS12 Abetone e Brennero, 56127, Pisa, Italy.,Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.,Institute of Genomic Medicine, Catholic University, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Gabellini
- Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, SS12 Abetone e Brennero, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mario Pellegrino
- National Institute of Optics, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Andreazzoli
- Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, SS12 Abetone e Brennero, 56127, Pisa, Italy. .,Interdepartmental Research Center Nutrafood "Nutraceuticals and Food for Health", University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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