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Bertrand M, Szeremeta F, Hervouet-Coste N, Sarou-Kanian V, Landon C, Morisset-Lopez S, Decoville M. An adult Drosophila glioma model to highlight metabolic dysfunctions and evaluate the role of the serotonin 5-HT 7 receptor as a potential therapeutic target. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23230. [PMID: 37781977 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300783rr] [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: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Gliomas account for 50% of brain cancers and are therefore the most common brain tumors. Molecular alterations involved in adult gliomas have been identified and mainly affect tyrosine kinase receptors with amplification and/or mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its associated signaling pathways. Several targeted therapies have been developed, but current treatments remain ineffective for glioblastomas, the most severe forms. Thus, it is a priority to identify new pharmacological targets. Drosophila glioma models established in larvae and adults are useful to identify new genes and signaling pathways involved in glioma progression. Here, we used a Drosophila glioma model in adults, to characterize metabolic disturbances associated with glioma and assess the consequences of 5-HT7 R expression on glioma development. First, by using in vivo magnetic resonance imaging, we have shown that expression of the constitutively active forms of EGFR and PI3K in adult glial cells induces brain enlargement. Then, we explored altered cellular metabolism by using high-resolution magic angle spinning NMR and 1 H-13 C heteronuclear single quantum coherence solution states. Discriminant metabolites identified highlight the rewiring of metabolic pathways in glioma and associated cachexia phenotypes. Finally, the expression of 5-HT7 R in this adult model attenuates phenotypes associated with glioma development. Collectively, this whole-animal approach in Drosophila allowed us to provide several rapid and robust phenotype readouts, such as enlarged brain volume and glioma-associated cachexia, as well as to determine the metabolic pathways involved in glioma genesis and finally to confirm the interest of the 5-HT7 R in the treatment of glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marylène Bertrand
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire-CBM, UPR 4301, CNRS, Orléans, France
| | | | | | - Vincent Sarou-Kanian
- Conditions Extrêmes et Matériaux: Haute Température et Irradiation-CEMHTI-CNRS UPR 3079, Orléans, France
| | - Céline Landon
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire-CBM, UPR 4301, CNRS, Orléans, France
| | | | - Martine Decoville
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire-CBM, UPR 4301, CNRS, Orléans, France
- UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, France
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2
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Johannessen JA, Formica M, Haukeland ALC, Bråthen NR, Al Outa A, Aarsund M, Therrien M, Enserink JM, Knævelsrud H. The human leukemic oncogene MLL-AF4 promotes hyperplastic growth of hematopoietic tissues in Drosophila larvae. iScience 2023; 26:107726. [PMID: 37720104 PMCID: PMC10504488 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
MLL-rearranged (MLL-r) leukemias are among the leukemic subtypes with poorest survival, and treatment options have barely improved over the last decades. Despite increasing molecular understanding of the mechanisms behind these hematopoietic malignancies, this knowledge has had poor translation into the clinic. Here, we report a Drosophila melanogaster model system to explore the pathways affected in MLL-r leukemia. We show that expression of the human leukemic oncogene MLL-AF4 in the Drosophila hematopoietic system resulted in increased levels of circulating hemocytes and an enlargement of the larval hematopoietic organ, the lymph gland. Strikingly, depletion of Drosophila orthologs of known interactors of MLL-AF4, such as DOT1L, rescued the leukemic phenotype. In agreement, treatment with small-molecule inhibitors of DOT1L also prevented the MLL-AF4-induced leukemia-like phenotype. Taken together, this model provides an in vivo system to unravel the genetic interactors involved in leukemogenesis and offers a system for improved biological understanding of MLL-r leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A. Johannessen
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Miriam Formica
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Aina Louise C. Haukeland
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nora Rojahn Bråthen
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Amani Al Outa
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Miriam Aarsund
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marc Therrien
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Laboratory of Intracellular Signaling, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Département de pathologie et de biologie cellulaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Jorrit M. Enserink
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Section for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Helene Knævelsrud
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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3
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Fruit fly for anticancer drug discovery and repurposing. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2023; 85:337-342. [PMID: 36845805 PMCID: PMC9949803 DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000000222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023] Open
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4
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Bernardt TM, Treviso EM, Cancian M, Silva MDM, da Rocha JBT, Loreto ELS. Chemotherapy Drugs Act Differently in the Expression and Somatic Mobilization of the mariner Transposable Element in Drosophila simulans. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13122374. [PMID: 36553641 PMCID: PMC9777735 DOI: 10.3390/genes13122374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are abundant in genomes. Their mobilization can lead to genetic variability that is useful for evolution, but can also have deleterious biological effects. Somatic mobilization (SM) has been linked to degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer. We used a Drosophila simulans strain, in which SM can be measured by counting red spots in the eyes, to investigate how chemotherapeutic agents affect expression and SM of the mariner TE. Flies were treated with Cisplatin, Dacarbazine, and Daunorubicin. After acute exposure, relative expression of mariner was quantified by RT-qPCR and oxidative stress was measured by biochemical assays. Exposure to 50 and 100 µg/mL Cisplatin increased mariner expression and ROS levels; catalase activity increased at 100 µg/mL. With chronic exposure, the number of spots also increased, indicating higher mariner SM. Dacarbazine (50 and 100 µg/mL) did not significantly alter mariner expression or mobilization or ROS levels, but decreased catalase activity (100 µg/mL). Daunorubicin (25 and 50 µM) increased mariner expression, but decreased mariner SM. ROS and catalase activity were also reduced. Our data suggest that stress factors may differentially affect the expression and SM of TEs. The increase in mariner transposase gene expression is necessary, but not sufficient for mariner SM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taís Maus Bernardt
- Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria 97105-000, RS, Brazil
| | - Estéfani Maria Treviso
- Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria 97105-000, RS, Brazil
| | - Mariana Cancian
- Genetic and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil
| | - Monica de Medeiros Silva
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
| | - João Batista Teixeira da Rocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
| | - Elgion Lucio Silva Loreto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Xiu M, Wang Y, Yang D, Zhang X, Dai Y, Liu Y, Lin X, Li B, He J. Using Drosophila melanogaster as a suitable platform for drug discovery from natural products in inflammatory bowel disease. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1072715. [PMID: 36545307 PMCID: PMC9760693 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1072715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and life-treating inflammatory disease that can occur in multiple parts of the human intestine and has become a worldwide problem with a continually increasing incidence. Because of its mild early symptoms, most of them will not attract people's attention and may cause more serious consequences. There is an urgent need for new therapeutics to prevent disease progression. Natural products have a variety of active ingredients, diverse biological activities, and low toxicity or side effects, which are the new options for preventing and treating the intestinal inflammatory diseases. Because of multiple genetic models, less ethical concerns, conserved signaling pathways with mammals, and low maintenance costs, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has become a suitable model for studying mechanism and treatment strategy of IBD. Here, we review the advantages of fly model as screening platform in drug discovery, describe the conserved molecular pathways as therapetic targets for IBD between mammals and flies, dissect the feasibility of Drosophila model in IBD research, and summarize the natural products for IBD treatment using flies. This review comprehensively elaborates that the benefit of flies as a perfact model to evaluate the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals against IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Xiu
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China,Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yixuan Wang
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Dan Yang
- College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xueyan Zhang
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuting Dai
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yongqi Liu
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xingyao Lin
- Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou, China
| | - Botong Li
- College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jianzheng He
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou, China,College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China,*Correspondence: Jianzheng He,
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Yang S, Tian M, Dai Y, Feng S, Wang Y, Chhangani D, Ou T, Li W, Yang Z, McAdow J, Rincon-Limas DE, Yin X, Tai W, Cheng G, Johnson A. Infection and chronic disease activate a brain-muscle signaling axis that regulates muscle performance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2020.12.20.423533. [PMID: 33398283 PMCID: PMC7781322 DOI: 10.1101/2020.12.20.423533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Infections and neurodegenerative diseases induce neuroinflammation, but affected individuals often show a number of non-neural symptoms including muscle pain and muscle fatigue. The molecular pathways by which neuroinflammation causes pathologies outside the central nervous system (CNS) are poorly understood, so we developed three models to investigate the impact of neuroinflammation on muscle performance. We found that bacterial infection, COVID-like viral infection, and expression of a neurotoxic protein associated with Alzheimer' s disease promoted the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the brain. Excessive ROS induces the expression of the cytokine Unpaired 3 (Upd3) in insects, or its orthologue IL-6 in mammals, and CNS-derived Upd3/IL-6 activates the JAK/Stat pathway in skeletal muscle. In response to JAK/Stat signaling, mitochondrial function is impaired and muscle performance is reduced. Our work uncovers a brain-muscle signaling axis in which infections and chronic diseases induce cytokine-dependent changes in muscle performance, suggesting IL-6 could be a therapeutic target to treat muscle weakness caused by neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Yang
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Meijie Tian
- Genetics Branch, Oncogenomics Section, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yulong Dai
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, P.R. China
| | - Shengyong Feng
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yunyun Wang
- Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Deepak Chhangani
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Tiffany Ou
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Wenle Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics & Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China
| | - Ze Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Jennifer McAdow
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Diego E. Rincon-Limas
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Xin Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, P.R. China
| | - Wanbo Tai
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Gong Cheng
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Aaron Johnson
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Lead corresponding author
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7
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Egan BM, Scharf A, Pohl F, Kornfeld K. Control of aging by the renin–angiotensin system: a review of C. elegans, Drosophila, and mammals. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:938650. [PMID: 36188619 PMCID: PMC9518657 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.938650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The free-living, non-parasitic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a premier model organism for the study of aging and longevity due to its short lifespan, powerful genetic tools, and conservation of fundamental mechanisms with mammals. Approximately 70 percent of human genes have homologs in C. elegans, including many that encode proteins in pathways that influence aging. Numerous genetic pathways have been identified in C. elegans that affect lifespan, including the dietary restriction pathway, the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway, and the disruption of components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. C. elegans is also a powerful system for performing drug screens, and many lifespan-extending compounds have been reported; notably, several FDA-approved medications extend the lifespan in C. elegans, raising the possibility that they can also extend the lifespan in humans. The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) in mammals is an endocrine system that regulates blood pressure and a paracrine system that acts in a wide range of tissues to control physiological processes; it is a popular target for drugs that reduce blood pressure, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). Emerging evidence indicates that this system influences aging. In C. elegans, decreasing the activity of the ACE homolog acn-1 or treatment with the ACE-inhibitor Captopril significantly extends the lifespan. In Drosophila, treatment with ACE inhibitors extends the lifespan. In rodents, manipulating the RAS with genetic or pharmacological interventions can extend the lifespan. In humans, polymorphisms in the ACE gene are associated with extreme longevity. These results suggest the RAS plays a conserved role in controlling longevity. Here, we review studies of the RAS and aging, emphasizing the potential of C. elegans as a model for understanding the mechanism of lifespan control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian M. Egan
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Andrea Scharf
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, United States
| | - Franziska Pohl
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Kerry Kornfeld
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Kerry Kornfeld,
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Benoit I, Di Curzio D, Civetta A, Douville RN. Drosophila as a Model for Human Viral Neuroinfections. Cells 2022; 11:cells11172685. [PMID: 36078091 PMCID: PMC9454636 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of human neurological infection faces many technical and ethical challenges. While not as common as mammalian models, the use of Drosophila (fruit fly) in the investigation of virus–host dynamics is a powerful research tool. In this review, we focus on the benefits and caveats of using Drosophila as a model for neurological infections and neuroimmunity. Through the examination of in vitro, in vivo and transgenic systems, we highlight select examples to illustrate the use of flies for the study of exogenous and endogenous viruses associated with neurological disease. In each case, phenotypes in Drosophila are compared to those in human conditions. In addition, we discuss antiviral drug screening in flies and how investigating virus–host interactions may lead to novel antiviral drug targets. Together, we highlight standardized and reproducible readouts of fly behaviour, motor function and neurodegeneration that permit an accurate assessment of neurological outcomes for the study of viral infection in fly models. Adoption of Drosophila as a valuable model system for neurological infections has and will continue to guide the discovery of many novel virus–host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilena Benoit
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 599 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2G3, Canada
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, 351 Taché Ave, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
| | - Domenico Di Curzio
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, 351 Taché Ave, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
| | - Alberto Civetta
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 599 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2G3, Canada
| | - Renée N. Douville
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 599 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2G3, Canada
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, 351 Taché Ave, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
- Correspondence:
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罗 海, 潘 阳, 陈 雯, 张 伟, 邵 淑, 杨 清, 李 铁. [Interference of CTPS gene promotes toosendanin-induced apoptosis of human gastric cancer MKN-45 cells]. NAN FANG YI KE DA XUE XUE BAO = JOURNAL OF SOUTHERN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY 2022; 42:1126-1133. [PMID: 36073210 PMCID: PMC9458520 DOI: 10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2022.08.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of interference of CTPS gene on toosendanin-induced apoptosis of gastric cancer MKN-45 cells. METHODS Bioinformatic analysis was used to analyze CTPS gene expression in human gastric cancer tissues and the overall survival of gastric cancer patients with high CTPS gene expression. Human gastric cancer MKN-45 cells were transfected with a short hairpin interfering RNA targeting CTPS gene, and 48 h later, qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect cellular expression CTPS at both the mRNA and protein levels. MKN-45 cells with CTPS knockdown were treated with 80 nmol/L toosendanin for 48 h, and the cell viability was assessed with MTT assay; the cell morphology was observed using laser confocal microscope, and the expression of γH2AX was detected with immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS Bioinformatic analysis suggested that CTPS was highly expressed in human gastric cancer tissues, and gastric cancer patients with high CTPS gene expression had a shorter overall survival. MKN-45 cells transfected with Sh-CTPS interference vector showed significantly lowered cell survival rate (P < 0.01) with obvious cell shrinkage, irregular morphology, typical apoptotic changes, and increased cell apoptosis rate (P < 0.05). Treatment of the transfected cells with 80 nmol/L toosendanin for 48 h resulted in further reduction of the cell survival rate (P < 0.001), and the cells showed an increased apoptotic rate (P < 0.05) with appearance of apoptotic bodies. CONCLUSION Interference of CTPS gene can promote TSN-induced apoptosis of gastric cancer MKN-45 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- 海静 罗
- 齐齐哈尔大学生命科学与农林学院,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006College of Life Science and Agroforestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, China
| | - 阳 潘
- 齐齐哈尔大学生命科学与农林学院,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006College of Life Science and Agroforestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, China
| | - 雯 陈
- 齐齐哈尔大学生命科学与农林学院,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006College of Life Science and Agroforestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, China
| | - 伟伟 张
- 齐齐哈尔大学生命科学与农林学院,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006College of Life Science and Agroforestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, China
- 抗性基因工程与寒地生物多样性保护黑龙江省重点实验室,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006Key Laboratory of Resistant Genetic Engineering and Cold Biodiversity Conservation of Heilongjiang Province, Qiqihar 161006, China
| | - 淑丽 邵
- 齐齐哈尔大学生命科学与农林学院,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006College of Life Science and Agroforestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, China
- 抗性基因工程与寒地生物多样性保护黑龙江省重点实验室,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006Key Laboratory of Resistant Genetic Engineering and Cold Biodiversity Conservation of Heilongjiang Province, Qiqihar 161006, China
| | - 清竹 杨
- 齐齐哈尔大学生命科学与农林学院,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006College of Life Science and Agroforestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, China
- 抗性基因工程与寒地生物多样性保护黑龙江省重点实验室,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006Key Laboratory of Resistant Genetic Engineering and Cold Biodiversity Conservation of Heilongjiang Province, Qiqihar 161006, China
| | - 铁 李
- 齐齐哈尔大学生命科学与农林学院,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006College of Life Science and Agroforestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, China
- 抗性基因工程与寒地生物多样性保护黑龙江省重点实验室,黑龙江 齐齐哈尔 161006Key Laboratory of Resistant Genetic Engineering and Cold Biodiversity Conservation of Heilongjiang Province, Qiqihar 161006, China
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10
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Munnik C, Xaba MP, Malindisa ST, Russell BL, Sooklal SA. Drosophila melanogaster: A platform for anticancer drug discovery and personalized therapies. Front Genet 2022; 13:949241. [PMID: 36003330 PMCID: PMC9393232 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.949241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex disease whereby multiple genetic aberrations, epigenetic modifications, metabolic reprogramming, and the microenvironment contribute to the development of a tumor. In the traditional anticancer drug discovery pipeline, drug candidates are usually screened in vitro using two-dimensional or three-dimensional cell culture. However, these methods fail to accurately mimic the human disease state. This has led to the poor success rate of anticancer drugs in the preclinical stages since many drugs are abandoned due to inefficacy or toxicity when transitioned to whole-organism models. The common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has emerged as a beneficial system for modeling human cancers. Decades of fundamental research have shown the evolutionary conservation of key genes and signaling pathways between flies and humans. Moreover, Drosophila has a lower genetic redundancy in comparison to mammals. These factors, in addition to the advancement of genetic toolkits for manipulating gene expression, allow for the generation of complex Drosophila genotypes and phenotypes. Numerous studies have successfully created Drosophila models for colorectal, lung, thyroid, and brain cancers. These models were utilized in the high-throughput screening of FDA-approved drugs which led to the identification of several compounds capable of reducing proliferation and rescuing phenotypes. More noteworthy, Drosophila has also unlocked the potential for personalized therapies. Drosophila ‘avatars’ presenting the same mutations as a patient are used to screen multiple therapeutic agents targeting multiple pathways to find the most appropriate combination of drugs. The outcomes of these studies have translated to significant responses in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma and metastatic colorectal cancers. Despite not being widely utilized, the concept of in vivo screening of drugs in Drosophila is making significant contributions to the current drug discovery pipeline. In this review, we discuss the application of Drosophila as a platform in anticancer drug discovery; with special focus on the cancer models that have been generated, drug libraries that have been screened and the status of personalized therapies. In addition, we elaborate on the biological and technical limitations of this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chamoné Munnik
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Malungi P. Xaba
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sibusiso T. Malindisa
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Bonnie L. Russell
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- Buboo (Pty) Ltd, The Innovation Hub, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Selisha A. Sooklal
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Selisha A. Sooklal,
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11
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Identification of Candidate Biomarker and Drug Targets for Improving Endometrial Cancer Racial Disparities. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147779. [PMID: 35887124 PMCID: PMC9318530 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Racial disparities in incidence and survival exist for many human cancers. Racial disparities are undoubtedly multifactorial and due in part to differences in socioeconomic factors, access to care, and comorbidities. Within the U.S., fundamental causes of health inequalities, including socio-economic factors, insurance status, access to healthcare and screening and treatment biases, are issues that contribute to cancer disparities. Yet even these epidemiologic differences do not fully account for survival disparities, as for nearly every stage, grade and histologic subtype, survival among Black women is significantly lower than their White counterparts. To address this, we sought to investigate the proteomic profiling molecular features of endometrial cancer in order to detect modifiable and targetable elements of endometrial cancer in different racial groups, which could be essential for treatment planning. The majority of proteins identified to be significantly altered among the racial groups and that can be regulated by existing drugs or investigational agents are enzymes that regulate metabolism and protein synthesis. These drugs have the potential to improve the worse outcomes of endometrial cancer patients based on race.
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12
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Antonica F, Aiello G, Soldano A, Abballe L, Miele E, Tiberi L. Modeling Brain Tumors: A Perspective Overview of in vivo and Organoid Models. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:818696. [PMID: 35706426 PMCID: PMC9190727 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.818696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain tumors are a large and heterogeneous group of neoplasms that affect the central nervous system and include some of the deadliest cancers. Almost all the conventional and new treatments fail to hinder tumoral growth of the most malignant brain tumors. This is due to multiple factors, such as intra-tumor heterogeneity, the microenvironmental properties of the human brain, and the lack of reliable models to test new therapies. Therefore, creating faithful models for each tumor and discovering tailored treatments pose great challenges in the fight against brain cancer. Over the years, different types of models have been generated, and, in this review, we investigated the advantages and disadvantages of the models currently used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Antonica
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Disorders and Cancer, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Aiello
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Disorders and Cancer, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Alessia Soldano
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Luana Abballe
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Cellular and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Evelina Miele
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Cellular and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Tiberi
- Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Disorders and Cancer, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- *Correspondence: Luca Tiberi,
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13
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Tello JA, Williams HE, Eppler RM, Steinhilb ML, Khanna M. Animal Models of Neurodegenerative Disease: Recent Advances in Fly Highlight Innovative Approaches to Drug Discovery. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:883358. [PMID: 35514431 PMCID: PMC9063566 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.883358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases represent a formidable challenge to global health. As advances in other areas of medicine grant healthy living into later decades of life, aging diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders can diminish the quality of these additional years, owed largely to the lack of efficacious treatments and the absence of durable cures. Alzheimer's disease prevalence is predicted to more than double in the next 30 years, affecting nearly 15 million Americans, with AD-associated costs exceeding $1 billion by 2050. Delaying onset of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases is critical to improving the quality of life for patients and reducing the burden of disease on caregivers and healthcare systems. Significant progress has been made to model disease pathogenesis and identify points of therapeutic intervention. While some researchers have contributed to our understanding of the proteins and pathways that drive biological dysfunction in disease using in vitro and in vivo models, others have provided mathematical, biophysical, and computational technologies to identify potential therapeutic compounds using in silico modeling. The most exciting phase of the drug discovery process is now: by applying a target-directed approach that leverages the strengths of multiple techniques and validates lead hits using Drosophila as an animal model of disease, we are on the fast-track to identifying novel therapeutics to restore health to those impacted by neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith A. Tello
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Center of Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Haley E. Williams
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Center of Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Robert M. Eppler
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, United States
| | - Michelle L. Steinhilb
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, United States
| | - May Khanna
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Center of Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
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14
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Proof-of-Concept Preclinical Use of Drosophila melanogaster in the Initial Screening of Immunomodulators. Sci Pharm 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/scipharm90010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug discovery is a complex process, and the use of a comprehensive approach is deemed necessary to discover new chemical entities with novel mechanisms of action. This research was carried out to determine whether Drosophila melanogaster can serve as an appropriate model organism in the initial screening of drug candidates with immunomodulatory activities. To test this, we performed phenotypic assay and molecular analysis to investigate the immunomodulatory activities of aspirin, dexamethasone, curcumin, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), that have been reported to yield such effects in the mammalian model system. In vivo survival analysis demonstrated that all drugs/compounds were relatively safe at the tested concentrations. In the infection assay, curcumin and EGCG showed a protective signature to bacterial infection in flies lacking Toll-mediated immune responses. Furthermore, dexamethasone and aspirin, drugs with immunosuppressive activity, could improve the survival of PGRP-LBΔ mutant flies with hyperactivated immune system. These phenotypes were supported by RT-qPCR-based molecular analysis, revealing that drugs/compounds used in this study could modulate the expression level of genes related to the immune system. In conclusion, while curcumin and EGCG could promote the improvement of fly survival against infection, aspirin and dexamethasone were able to suppress overactivation of immune responses in D. melanogaster. These results are in line with the ones observed in the mammalian model system, further emphasizing the notion that flies would serve as a prospective model organism in the initial screening of drug candidates for their immunomodulatory activities prior to further checking in the mammalian animal models. In the end, this will reduce the use of mammalian animal models for preliminary experiments in an effort to discover/repurpose drugs with immunomodulatory activity.
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15
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Zhu JY, Huang X, Fu Y, Wang Y, Zheng P, Liu Y, Han Z. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of hypoxia signaling attenuates oncogenic RAS-induced cancer phenotypes. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:272327. [PMID: 34580712 PMCID: PMC8617310 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.048953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic Ras mutations are highly prevalent in hematopoietic malignancies. However, it is difficult to directly target oncogenic RAS proteins for therapeutic intervention. We have developed a Drosophila acute myeloid leukemia model induced by human KRASG12V, which exhibits a dramatic increase in myeloid-like leukemia cells. We performed both genetic and drug screens using this model. The genetic screen identified 24 candidate genes able to attenuate the oncogenic RAS-induced phenotype, including two key hypoxia pathway genes HIF1A and ARNT (HIF1B). The drug screen revealed that echinomycin, an inhibitor of HIF1A, can effectively attenuate the leukemia phenotype caused by KRASG12V. Furthermore, we showed that echinomycin treatment can effectively suppress oncogenic RAS-driven leukemia cell proliferation, using both human leukemia cell lines and a mouse xenograft model. These data suggest that inhibiting the hypoxia pathway could be an effective treatment approach and that echinomycin is a promising targeted drug to attenuate oncogenic RAS-induced cancer phenotypes. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Hypoxia pathway inhibition, either genetically or pharmacologically, rescues RAS-induced oncogenesis in a Drosophila acute myeloid leukemia model, mouse xenograft model and human leukemia cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Yi Zhu
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.,Division of Immunotherapy, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Xiaohu Huang
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.,Division of Immunotherapy, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Yulong Fu
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Yin Wang
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Pan Zheng
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Zhe Han
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.,Division of Immunotherapy, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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16
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Thangadurai S, Bajgiran M, Manickam S, Mohana-Kumaran N, Azzam G. CTP synthase: the hissing of the cellular serpent. Histochem Cell Biol 2022; 158:517-534. [PMID: 35881195 PMCID: PMC9314535 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-022-02133-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
CTP biosynthesis is carried out by two pathways: salvage and de novo. CTPsyn catalyzes the latter. The study of CTPsyn activity in mammalian cells began in the 1970s, and various fascinating discoveries were made regarding the role of CTPsyn in cancer and development. However, its ability to fit into a cellular serpent-like structure, termed 'cytoophidia,' was only discovered a decade ago by three independent groups of scientists. Although the self-assembly of CTPsyn into a filamentous structure is evolutionarily conserved, the enzyme activity upon this self-assembly varies in different species. CTPsyn is required for cellular development and homeostasis. Changes in the expression of CTPsyn cause developmental changes in Drosophila melanogaster. A high level of CTPsyn activity and formation of cytoophidia are often observed in rapidly proliferating cells such as in stem and cancer cells. Meanwhile, the deficiency of CTPsyn causes severe immunodeficiency leading to immunocompromised diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites, making CTPsyn an attractive therapeutic target. Here, we provide an overview of the role of CTPsyn in cellular and disease perspectives along with its potential as a drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shallinie Thangadurai
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Morteza Bajgiran
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Sharvin Manickam
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Nethia Mohana-Kumaran
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Ghows Azzam
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia ,grid.454125.3Malaysia Genome and Vaccine Institute, National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia, Jalan Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Malaysia
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17
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Ishibashi JR, Keshri R, Taslim TH, Brewer DK, Chan TC, Lyons S, McManamen AM, Chen A, Del Castillo D, Ruohola-Baker H. Chemical Genetic Screen in Drosophila Germline Uncovers Small Molecule Drugs That Sensitize Stem Cells to Insult-Induced Apoptosis. Cells 2021; 10:cells10102771. [PMID: 34685753 PMCID: PMC8534514 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells, in contrast to their more differentiated daughter cells, can endure genotoxic insults, escape apoptosis, and cause tumor recurrence. Understanding how normal adult stem cells survive and go to quiescence may help identify druggable pathways that cancer stem cells have co-opted. In this study, we utilize a genetically tractable model for stem cell survival in the Drosophila gonad to screen drug candidates and probe chemical-genetic interactions. Our study employs three levels of small molecule screening: (1) a medium-throughput primary screen in male germline stem cells (GSCs), (2) a secondary screen with irradiation and protein-constrained food in female GSCs, and (3) a tertiary screen in breast cancer organoids in vitro. Herein, we uncover a series of small molecule drug candidates that may sensitize cancer stem cells to apoptosis. Further, we have assessed these small molecules for chemical-genetic interactions in the germline and identified the NF-κB pathway as an essential and druggable pathway in GSC quiescence and viability. Our study demonstrates the power of the Drosophila stem cell niche as a model system for targeted drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Roy Ishibashi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (J.R.I.); (R.K.); (T.H.T.); (D.K.B.); (T.C.C.); (S.L.); (A.M.M.); (A.C.); (D.D.C.)
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Riya Keshri
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (J.R.I.); (R.K.); (T.H.T.); (D.K.B.); (T.C.C.); (S.L.); (A.M.M.); (A.C.); (D.D.C.)
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Tommy Henry Taslim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (J.R.I.); (R.K.); (T.H.T.); (D.K.B.); (T.C.C.); (S.L.); (A.M.M.); (A.C.); (D.D.C.)
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Daniel Kennedy Brewer
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (J.R.I.); (R.K.); (T.H.T.); (D.K.B.); (T.C.C.); (S.L.); (A.M.M.); (A.C.); (D.D.C.)
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Tung Ching Chan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (J.R.I.); (R.K.); (T.H.T.); (D.K.B.); (T.C.C.); (S.L.); (A.M.M.); (A.C.); (D.D.C.)
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Scott Lyons
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (J.R.I.); (R.K.); (T.H.T.); (D.K.B.); (T.C.C.); (S.L.); (A.M.M.); (A.C.); (D.D.C.)
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Anika Marie McManamen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (J.R.I.); (R.K.); (T.H.T.); (D.K.B.); (T.C.C.); (S.L.); (A.M.M.); (A.C.); (D.D.C.)
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Ashley Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (J.R.I.); (R.K.); (T.H.T.); (D.K.B.); (T.C.C.); (S.L.); (A.M.M.); (A.C.); (D.D.C.)
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Debra Del Castillo
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (J.R.I.); (R.K.); (T.H.T.); (D.K.B.); (T.C.C.); (S.L.); (A.M.M.); (A.C.); (D.D.C.)
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Hannele Ruohola-Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (J.R.I.); (R.K.); (T.H.T.); (D.K.B.); (T.C.C.); (S.L.); (A.M.M.); (A.C.); (D.D.C.)
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Correspondence:
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18
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Liu Y, Weaver CM, Sen Y, Eitzen G, Simmonds AJ, Linchieh L, Lurette O, Hebert-Chatelain E, Rachubinski RA, Di Cara F. The Nitric Oxide Donor, S-Nitrosoglutathione, Rescues Peroxisome Number and Activity Defects in PEX1G843D Mild Zellweger Syndrome Fibroblasts. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:714710. [PMID: 34434934 PMCID: PMC8382563 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.714710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBDs) are a group of metabolic developmental diseases caused by mutations in one or more genes encoding peroxisomal proteins. Zellweger syndrome spectrum (PBD-ZSS) results from metabolic dysfunction caused by damaged or non-functional peroxisomes and manifests as a multi-organ syndrome with significant morbidity and mortality for which there is no current drug therapy. Mild PBD-ZSS patients can exhibit a more progressive disease course and could benefit from the identification of drugs to improve the quality of life and extend the lifespan of affected individuals. Our study used a high-throughput screen of FDA-approved compounds to identify compounds that improve peroxisome function and biogenesis in human fibroblast cells carrying the mild PBD-ZSS variant, PEX1G843D. Our screen identified the nitrogen oxide donor, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), as a potential therapeutic for this mild form of PBD-ZSS. Further biochemical characterization showed that GSNO enhances both peroxisome number and function in PEX1G843D mutant fibroblasts and leads to increased survival and longer lifespan in an in vivo humanized Drosophila model carrying the PEX1G843D mutation. GSNO is therefore a strong candidate to be translated to clinical trials as a potential therapeutic for mild PBD-ZSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidi Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Ceileigh M Weaver
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, IWK Research Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Yarina Sen
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Gary Eitzen
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Andrew J Simmonds
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Lilliana Linchieh
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Olivier Lurette
- Department of Biology, University of Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada
| | | | | | - Francesca Di Cara
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, IWK Research Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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19
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Le TD, Inoue YH. Sesamin Activates Nrf2/Cnc-Dependent Transcription in the Absence of Oxidative Stress in Drosophila Adult Brains. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10060924. [PMID: 34200419 PMCID: PMC8227698 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10060924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sesamin, a major lignin in sesame seeds, possesses health-promoting properties. Sesamin feeding suppresses several aging-related phenotypes such as age-dependent accumulation of damaged proteins in the muscles and neuronal loss in the brains of Drosophila adults with high levels of reactive oxygen species. Sesamin promotes the transcription of several genes that are responsible for oxidative stress, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we aimed to demonstrate that sesamin mediates its action through activation of a transcription factor, Nrf2 (Cnc in Drosophila), essential for anti-aging oxidative stress response. Nrf2/Cnc activation was determined using the antioxidant response element, Green Fluorescence Protein reporter, that can monitor Nrf2/Cnc-dependent transcription. We observed strong fluorescence in the entire bodies, particularly in the abdomens and brains, of adult flies fed sesamin. Interestingly, Nrf2/Cnc was strongly activated in neuronal cells, especially in several neuron types, including glutamatergic and cholinergic, and some dopaminergic and/or serotonergic neurons but not in GABAergic neurons or the mushroom bodies of flies fed sesamin. These results indicate that the anti-aging effects of sesamin are exerted via activation of Nrf2/Cnc-dependent transcription to circumvent oxidative stress accumulation in several types of neurons of adult brains. Sesamin could be explored as a potential dietary supplement for preventing neurodegeneration associated with accumulation of oxidative stress.
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20
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Yadav J, El Hassani M, Sodhi J, Lauschke VM, Hartman JH, Russell LE. Recent developments in in vitro and in vivo models for improved translation of preclinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics data. Drug Metab Rev 2021; 53:207-233. [PMID: 33989099 DOI: 10.1080/03602532.2021.1922435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Improved pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) prediction in the early stages of drug development is essential to inform lead optimization strategies and reduce attrition rates. Recently, there have been significant advancements in the development of new in vitro and in vivo strategies to better characterize pharmacokinetic properties and efficacy of drug leads. Herein, we review advances in experimental and mathematical models for clearance predictions, advancements in developing novel tools to capture slowly metabolized drugs, in vivo model developments to capture human etiology for supporting drug development, limitations and gaps in these efforts, and a perspective on the future in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaydeep Yadav
- Department of Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Drug Metabolism, Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Jasleen Sodhi
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Volker M Lauschke
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jessica H Hartman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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21
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Shahzad U, Taccone MS, Kumar SA, Okura H, Krumholtz S, Ishida J, Mine C, Gouveia K, Edgar J, Smith C, Hayes M, Huang X, Derry WB, Taylor MD, Rutka JT. Modeling human brain tumors in flies, worms, and zebrafish: From proof of principle to novel therapeutic targets. Neuro Oncol 2021; 23:718-731. [PMID: 33378446 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noaa306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, cell biologists and cancer researchers have taken advantage of non-murine species to increase our understanding of the molecular processes that drive normal cell and tissue development, and when perturbed, cause cancer. The advent of whole-genome sequencing has revealed the high genetic homology of these organisms to humans. Seminal studies in non-murine organisms such as Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Danio rerio identified many of the signaling pathways involved in cancer. Studies in these organisms offer distinct advantages over mammalian cell or murine systems. Compared to murine models, these three species have shorter lifespans, are less resource intense, and are amenable to high-throughput drug and RNA interference screening to test a myriad of promising drugs against novel targets. In this review, we introduce species-specific breeding strategies, highlight the advantages of modeling brain tumors in each non-mammalian species, and underscore the successes attributed to scientific investigation using these models. We conclude with an optimistic proposal that discoveries in the fields of cancer research, and in particular neuro-oncology, may be expedited using these powerful screening tools and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uswa Shahzad
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Michael S Taccone
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sachin A Kumar
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Hidehiro Okura
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Stacey Krumholtz
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Joji Ishida
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Coco Mine
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Kyle Gouveia
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Julia Edgar
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christian Smith
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Madeline Hayes
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Xi Huang
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - W Brent Derry
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Michael D Taylor
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - James T Rutka
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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22
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena E. Richardson
- Cell Cycle and Development Laboratory, Research Division, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 7 St Andrew's place, East Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3002, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 7 St Andrew's place, East Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3002, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, 1-100 Grattan street, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, 1-100 Grattan street, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
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23
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Ma X. Context-dependent interplay between Hippo and JNK pathway in Drosophila. AIMS GENETICS 2021. [DOI: 10.3934/genet.2014.1.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
AbstractBoth Hippo and JNK signaling have well-established roles in regulating many physiological processes, including cell proliferation, growth, survival, and migration. An increasing body of evidence shows that dysregulation of either Hippo or JNK pathway would lead to tumorigenesis. Recently, studies in Drosophila has coupled Hippo with JNK pathway in numerous ways ranging from tissue regeneration to growth control. In this review, I provide an overview of the current understanding of crosstalk between Hippo and JNK pathway in Drosophila, and discuss their context-dependent interactions in gut homeostasis, regeneration, cell competition and migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianjue Ma
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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24
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Abstract
AbstractAn important goal in the fight against cancer is to understand how tumors become invasive and metastatic. A crucial early step in metastasis is thought to be the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), the process in which epithelial cells transition into a more migratory and invasive, mesenchymal state. Since the genetic regulatory networks driving EMT in tumors derive from those used in development, analysis of EMTs in genetic model organisms such as the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, can provide great insight into cancer. In this review I highlight the many ways in which studies in the fly are shedding light on cancer metastasis. The review covers both normal developmental events in which epithelial cells become migratory, as well as induced events, whereby normal epithelial cells become metastatic due to genetic manipulations. The ability to make such precise genetic perturbations in the context of a normal, in vivo environment, complete with a working innate immune system, is making the fly increasingly important in understanding metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Murray
- School of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Melbourne, Australia
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25
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Wong KC, Sankaran S, Jayapalan JJ, Subramanian P, Abdul-Rahman PS. Melatonin improves cognitive behavior, oxidative stress, and metabolism in tumor-prone lethal giant larvae mutant of Drosophila melanogaster. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 107:e21785. [PMID: 33818826 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mutant lethal giant larvae (lgl) flies (Drosophila melanogaster) are known to develop epithelial tumors with invasive characteristics. The present study has been conducted to investigate the influence of melatonin (0.025 mM) on behavioral responses of lgl mutant flies as well as on biochemical indices (redox homeostasis, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, transaminases, and minerals) in hemolymph, and head and intestinal tissues. Behavioral abnormalities were quantitatively observed in lgl flies but were found normalized among melatonin-treated lgl flies. Significantly decreased levels of lipid peroxidation products and antioxidants involved in redox homeostasis were observed in hemolymph and tissues of lgl flies, but had restored close to normalcy in melatonin-treated flies. Carbohydrates including glucose, trehalose, and glycogen were decreased and increased in the hemolymph and tissues of lgl and melatonin-treated lgl flies, respectively. Key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism showed a significant increment in their levels in lgl mutants but had restored close to wild-type baseline levels in melatonin-treated flies. Variables of lipid metabolism showed significantly inverse levels in hemolymph and tissues of lgl flies, while normalization of most of these variables was observed in melatonin-treated mutants. Lipase, chitinase, transaminases, and alkaline phosphatase showed an increment in their activities and minerals exhibited decrement in lgl flies; reversal of changes was observed under melatonin treatment. The impairment of cognition, disturbance of redox homeostasis and metabolic reprogramming in lgl flies, and restoration of normalcy in all these cellular and behavioral processes indicate that melatonin could act as oncostatic and cytoprotective agents in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kar-Cheng Wong
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Srivani Sankaran
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jaime J Jayapalan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- University of Malaya Centre for Proteomics Research (UMCPR), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Perumal Subramanian
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Puteri S Abdul-Rahman
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- University of Malaya Centre for Proteomics Research (UMCPR), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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26
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Rigon L, De Filippis C, Napoli B, Tomanin R, Orso G. Exploiting the Potential of Drosophila Models in Lysosomal Storage Disorders: Pathological Mechanisms and Drug Discovery. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9030268. [PMID: 33800050 PMCID: PMC8000850 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9030268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) represent a complex and heterogeneous group of rare genetic diseases due to mutations in genes coding for lysosomal enzymes, membrane proteins or transporters. This leads to the accumulation of undegraded materials within lysosomes and a broad range of severe clinical features, often including the impairment of central nervous system (CNS). When available, enzyme replacement therapy slows the disease progression although it is not curative; also, most recombinant enzymes cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, leaving the CNS untreated. The inefficient degradative capability of the lysosomes has a negative impact on the flux through the endolysosomal and autophagic pathways; therefore, dysregulation of these pathways is increasingly emerging as a relevant disease mechanism in LSDs. In the last twenty years, different LSD Drosophila models have been generated, mainly for diseases presenting with neurological involvement. The fruit fly provides a large selection of tools to investigate lysosomes, autophagy and endocytic pathways in vivo, as well as to analyse neuronal and glial cells. The possibility to use Drosophila in drug repurposing and discovery makes it an attractive model for LSDs lacking effective therapies. Here, ee describe the major cellular pathways implicated in LSDs pathogenesis, the approaches available for their study and the Drosophila models developed for these diseases. Finally, we highlight a possible use of LSDs Drosophila models for drug screening studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rigon
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica “Città della Speranza”, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy; (C.D.F.); (R.T.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Concetta De Filippis
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica “Città della Speranza”, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy; (C.D.F.); (R.T.)
- Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Lysosomal Disorders, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 3, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Barbara Napoli
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Via Don Luigi Monza 20, Bosisio Parini, 23842 Lecco, Italy;
| | - Rosella Tomanin
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica “Città della Speranza”, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy; (C.D.F.); (R.T.)
- Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Lysosomal Disorders, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 3, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Genny Orso
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padova, Italy;
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27
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Jonckheere S, Adams J, De Groote D, Campbell K, Berx G, Goossens S. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) as a Therapeutic Target. Cells Tissues Organs 2021; 211:157-182. [PMID: 33401271 DOI: 10.1159/000512218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumour to distant sites and organs throughout the body. It is the primary cause of cancer morbidity and mortality, and is estimated to account for 90% of cancer-related deaths. During the initial steps of the metastatic cascade, epithelial cancer cells undergo an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and as a result become migratory and invasive mesenchymal-like cells while acquiring cancer stem cell properties and therapy resistance. As EMT is involved in such a broad range of processes associated with malignant transformation, it has become an increasingly interesting target for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Anti-EMT therapeutic strategies could potentially not only prevent the invasion and dissemination of cancer cells, and as such prevent the formation of metastatic lesions, but also attenuate cancer stemness and increase the effectiveness of more classical chemotherapeutics. In this review, we give an overview about the pros and cons of therapies targeting EMT and discuss some already existing candidate drug targets and high-throughput screening tools to identify novel anti-EMT compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Jonckheere
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jamie Adams
- Department of Biomedical Science, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Dominic De Groote
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kyra Campbell
- Department of Biomedical Science, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Geert Berx
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steven Goossens
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, .,Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium,
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28
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Zhang M, Nagaosa K, Nakai Y, Yasugi T, Kushihiki M, Rahmatika D, Sato M, Shiratsuchi A, Nakanishi Y. Role for phagocytosis in the prevention of neoplastic transformation in Drosophila. Genes Cells 2020; 25:675-684. [PMID: 32865275 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Immunity is considered to be involved in the prevention of cancer. Although both humoral and cellular immune reactions may participate, underlying mechanisms have yet to be clarified. The present study was conducted to clarify this issue using a Drosophila model, in which neoplastic transformation was induced through the simultaneous inhibition of cell-cycle checkpoints and apoptosis. We first determined the location of hemocytes, blood cells of Drosophila playing a role of immune cells, in neoplasia-induced and normal larvae, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. When gene expression pattern in larval hemocytes was determined, the expression of immunity-related genes including those necessary for phagocytosis was reduced in the neoplasia model. We then asked the involvement of phagocytosis in the prevention of neoplasia examining animals where the expression of engulfment receptors instead of apoptosis was retarded. We found that the inhibition of engulfment receptor expression augmented the occurrence of neoplasia induced by a defect in cell-cycle checkpoints. This suggested a role for phagocytosis in the prevention of neoplastic transformation in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhang
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kaz Nagaosa
- Section of Food Sciences, Institute of Regional Innovation, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Yuji Nakai
- Section of Food Sciences, Institute of Regional Innovation, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Yasugi
- Mathematical Neuroscience Unit, Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Masako Kushihiki
- Section of Food Sciences, Institute of Regional Innovation, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Dini Rahmatika
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Makoto Sato
- Mathematical Neuroscience Unit, Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Akiko Shiratsuchi
- Department of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Center for Medical Education, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan
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29
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Genome-Wide Screen for Context-Dependent Tumor Suppressors Identified Using in Vivo Models for Neoplasia in Drosophila. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2020; 10:2999-3008. [PMID: 32737065 PMCID: PMC7467006 DOI: 10.1534/g3.120.401545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Genetic approaches in Drosophila have successfully identified many genes involved in regulation of growth control as well as genetic interactions relevant to the initiation and progression of cancer in vivo. Here, we report on large-scale RNAi-based screens to identify potential tumor suppressor genes that interact with known cancer-drivers: the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and the Hippo pathway transcriptional cofactor Yorkie. These screens were designed to identify genes whose depletion drove tissue expressing EGFR or Yki from a state of benign overgrowth into neoplastic transformation in vivo. We also report on an independent screen aimed to identify genes whose depletion suppressed formation of neoplastic tumors in an existing EGFR-dependent neoplasia model. Many of the positives identified here are known to be functional in growth control pathways. We also find a number of novel connections to Yki and EGFR driven tissue growth, mostly unique to one of the two. Thus, resources provided here would be useful to all researchers who study negative regulators of growth during development and cancer in the context of activated EGFR and/or Yki and positive regulators of growth in the context of activated EGFR. Resources reported here are available freely for anyone to use.
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30
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Tsai HY, Wu SC, Li JC, Chen YM, Chan CC, Chen CH. Loss of the Drosophila branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex results in neuronal dysfunction. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm044750. [PMID: 32680850 PMCID: PMC7473638 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.044750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an inherited error in the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) caused by a severe deficiency of the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex, which ultimately leads to neurological disorders. The limited therapies, including protein-restricted diets and liver transplants, are not as effective as they could be for the treatment of MSUD due to the current lack of molecular insights into the disease pathogenesis. To address this issue, we developed a Drosophila model of MSUD by knocking out the dDBT gene, an ortholog of the human gene encoding the dihydrolipoamide branched chain transacylase (DBT) subunit of BCKDH. The homozygous dDBT mutant larvae recapitulate an array of MSUD phenotypes, including aberrant BCAA accumulation, developmental defects, poor mobile behavior and disrupted L-glutamate homeostasis. Moreover, the dDBT mutation causes neuronal apoptosis during the developmental progression of larval brains. The genetic and functional evidence generated by in vivo depletion of dDBT expression in the eye indicates severe impairment of retinal rhabdomeres. Further, the dDBT mutant shows elevated oxidative stress and higher lipid peroxidation accumulation in the larval brain. Therefore, we conclude from in vivo evidence that the loss of dDBT results in oxidative brain damage that may lead to neuronal cell death and contribute to aspects of MSUD pathology. Importantly, when the dDBT mutants were administrated with Metformin, the aberrances in BCAA levels and motor behavior were ameliorated. This intriguing outcome strongly merits the use of the dDBT mutant as a platform for developing MSUD therapies.This article has an associated First Person interview with the joint first authors of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Ying Tsai
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10090, Taiwan
- National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Cheng Wu
- National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
| | - Jian-Chiuan Li
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Min Chen
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10090, Taiwan
- National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chiang Chan
- Graduate Institute of physiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hong Chen
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10090, Taiwan
- National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan
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31
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Murcia L, Clemente-Ruiz M, Pierre-Elies P, Royou A, Milán M. Selective Killing of RAS-Malignant Tissues by Exploiting Oncogene-Induced DNA Damage. Cell Rep 2020; 28:119-131.e4. [PMID: 31269434 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Several oncogenes induce untimely entry into S phase and alter replication timing and progression, thereby generating replicative stress, a well-known source of genomic instability and a hallmark of cancer. Using an epithelial model in Drosophila, we show that the RAS oncogene, which triggers G1/S transition, induces DNA damage and, at the same time, silences the DNA damage response pathway. RAS compromises ATR-mediated phosphorylation of the histone variant H2Av and ATR-mediated cell-cycle arrest in G2 and blocks, through ERK, Dp53-dependent induction of cell death. We found that ERK is also activated in normal tissues by an exogenous source of damage and that this activation is necessary to dampen the pro-apoptotic role of Dp53. We exploit the pro-survival role of ERK activation upon endogenous and exogenous sources of DNA damage to present evidence that its genetic or chemical inhibition can be used as a therapeutic opportunity to selectively eliminate RAS-malignant tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lada Murcia
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Clemente-Ruiz
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Anne Royou
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, 2, rue Robert Escarpit, 33607 Pessac, France
| | - Marco Milán
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
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32
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Millet-Boureima C, Selber-Hnatiw S, Gamberi C. Drug discovery and chemical probing in Drosophila. Genome 2020; 64:147-159. [PMID: 32551911 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2020-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Flies are increasingly utilized in drug discovery and chemical probing in vivo, which are novel technologies complementary to genetic probing in fundamental biological studies. Excellent genetic conservation, small size, short generation time, and over one hundred years of genetics make Drosophila an attractive model for rapid assay readout and use of analytical amounts of compound, enabling the experimental iterations needed in early drug development at a fraction of time and costs. Here, we describe an effective drug-testing pipeline using adult flies that can be easily implemented to study several disease models and different genotypes to discover novel molecular insight, probes, quality lead compounds, and develop novel prototype drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Millet-Boureima
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada.,Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Susannah Selber-Hnatiw
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada.,Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Chiara Gamberi
- Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada.,Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
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33
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Liang Q, Ma P, Zhang Q, Yin Y, Wang P, Wang S, Zhang Y, Han R, Deng H. A gum Arabic assisted sustainable drug delivery system for adult Drosophila. Biol Open 2020; 9:bio052241. [PMID: 32487516 PMCID: PMC7328006 DOI: 10.1242/bio.052241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Large-scale compound screening in adult flies is hampered by the lack of continuous drug delivery systems and poor solubility of numerous compounds. Here we found that gum Arabic (Acacia/Senegal gum), a widely used stabilizer, can also emulsify lipophilic compounds and profoundly increase their accessibility to target tissues in Drosophila and mice. We further developed a gum Arabic-based drug delivery system, wherein the drug was ground into gum Arabic and emulsified in liquid food fed to flies by siphoning through a U-shape glass capillary. This system did not affect food intake nor cell viability. Since drugs were continuously delivered by siphoning, minimal compound waste and less frequent food changes make this system ideal for large-scale long-term screenings. In our pilot screening for antitumor drugs in the NCI DTP library, we used a Drosophila model of colorectal cancer and identified two drugs that are especially hydrophobic and were not identified in previous screenings. Our data demonstrated that gum Arabic facilitates drug delivery in animal models and the system is suitable for long-term high-throughput drug screening in Drosophila This system would accelerate drug discovery for chronic and cognitive conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiying Liang
- Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 6B, Shixun Building, 1239 Siping Road, Yangpu District, 20092 China
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Peng Ma
- Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 6B, Shixun Building, 1239 Siping Road, Yangpu District, 20092 China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 6B, Shixun Building, 1239 Siping Road, Yangpu District, 20092 China
| | - Youjie Yin
- Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 6B, Shixun Building, 1239 Siping Road, Yangpu District, 20092 China
| | - Ping Wang
- Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 6B, Shixun Building, 1239 Siping Road, Yangpu District, 20092 China
| | - Saifei Wang
- Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 6B, Shixun Building, 1239 Siping Road, Yangpu District, 20092 China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 6B, Shixun Building, 1239 Siping Road, Yangpu District, 20092 China
| | - Ruolei Han
- Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 6B, Shixun Building, 1239 Siping Road, Yangpu District, 20092 China
| | - Hansong Deng
- Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 6B, Shixun Building, 1239 Siping Road, Yangpu District, 20092 China
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34
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Strategies for Functional Interrogation of Big Cancer Data Using Drosophila Cancer Models. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113754. [PMID: 32466549 PMCID: PMC7312059 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid development of high throughput genome analysis technologies accompanied by significant reduction in costs has led to the accumulation of an incredible amount of data during the last decade. The emergence of big data has had a particularly significant impact in biomedical research by providing unprecedented, systems-level access to many disease states including cancer, and has created promising opportunities as well as new challenges. Arguably, the most significant challenge cancer research currently faces is finding effective ways to use big data to improve our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis and developing effective new therapies. Functional exploration of these datasets and testing predictions from computational approaches using experimental models to interrogate their biological relevance is a key step towards achieving this goal. Given the daunting scale and complexity of the big data available, experimental systems like Drosophila that allow large-scale functional studies and complex genetic manipulations in a rapid, cost-effective manner will be of particular importance for this purpose. Findings from these large-scale exploratory functional studies can then be used to formulate more specific hypotheses to be explored in mammalian models. Here, I will discuss several strategies for functional exploration of big cancer data using Drosophila cancer models.
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35
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Effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction on Cell Migration and Ocular Tumor Invasion in Drosophila. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1155/2020/5463652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) decoction mainly for treating blood stasis syndrome, has been widely investigated and applied in clinic and in laboratory. XFZYD contains 11 herbs and has been identified to promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis for cardiovascular disease. Meanwhile, blood stasis is directly related to malignant tumor according to TCM basic theory. However, the effects of XFZYD on tumor metastasis and the underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown. Here, we employed well-establishedDrosophilacell migration and tumor invasion models to explore whether XFZYD has the anticancer activity on tumor metastasisin vivo. Our work has demonstrated that XFZYD could suppress cell migration and tumor invasion at the moderate concentrations. In addition, XFZYD altered the expression of MMP1,β-integrin, and E-cadherin to impede cell migration. Moreover, XFZYD inhibited ocular tumor invasion presumably by reducing the activity of Notch signaling. Together, these evidences reveal a positive role of XFZYD in suppressing cell migration and tumor metastasis, providing the potential drug targets and key clues for cancer clinical treatment strategies.
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36
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A standardized method for incorporation of drugs into food for use with Drosophila melanogaster. Anal Biochem 2020; 599:113740. [PMID: 32320689 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.113740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
With any in vivo model, diet plays an important role, even in an organism as simple as the fruit fly - Drosophila melanogaster. Flies serve as good surrogates to study human diseases as approximately 77% of human disease genes are orthologous in the fly. Though breeding and caring for fruit flies is simple, the use of this organism in drug discovery is wide-ranging, especially in the administration of drugs to flies, via their food. We present a standard method for preparing fly food containing drugs for administration to Drosophila melanogaster, from a chemist's perspective.
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37
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Murray A, Palmer D, Bennett D, Dwarampudi V, Pedro de Magalhães J. A method for the permeabilization of live Drosophila melanogaster larvae to small molecules and cryoprotectants. Fly (Austin) 2020; 14:29-33. [PMID: 32037953 PMCID: PMC7746254 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2020.1724051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The larvae of Drosophila melanogaster is a model organism widely used to study the muscular and nervous systems. Drosophila larvae are surrounded by a waxy cuticle that prevents permeation by most substances. Here we develop a method to remove this layer, rendering the larvae permeable to small molecules without causing death, allowing the larvae to develop to adulthood and reproduce. Permeability was assessed using fluorescein diacetate dye uptake, and mortality upon exposure to toxic levels of ethylene glycol (EG) and Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Potential uses for this method include drug delivery, toxicity assays, cryopreservation, staining, and fixation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Murray
- Institute of Ageing & Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, UK
| | - Daniel Palmer
- Institute of Ageing & Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, UK
| | - Daimark Bennett
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, UK
| | - Venkata Dwarampudi
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University , Lancaster, UK
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38
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Kakanj P, Eming SA, Partridge L, Leptin M. Long-term in vivo imaging of Drosophila larvae. Nat Protoc 2020; 15:1158-1187. [DOI: 10.1038/s41596-019-0282-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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39
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Zabihihesari A, Hilliker AJ, Rezai P. Fly-on-a-Chip: Microfluidics for Drosophila melanogaster Studies. Integr Biol (Camb) 2020; 11:425-443. [DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyz037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The fruit fly or Drosophila melanogaster has been used as a promising model organism in genetics, developmental and behavioral studies as well as in the fields of neuroscience, pharmacology, and toxicology. Not only all the developmental stages of Drosophila, including embryonic, larval, and adulthood stages, have been used in experimental in vivo biology, but also the organs, tissues, and cells extracted from this model have found applications in in vitro assays. However, the manual manipulation, cellular investigation and behavioral phenotyping techniques utilized in conventional Drosophila-based in vivo and in vitro assays are mostly time-consuming, labor-intensive, and low in throughput. Moreover, stimulation of the organism with external biological, chemical, or physical signals requires precision in signal delivery, while quantification of neural and behavioral phenotypes necessitates optical and physical accessibility to Drosophila. Recently, microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip devices have emerged as powerful tools to overcome these challenges. This review paper demonstrates the role of microfluidic technology in Drosophila studies with a focus on both in vivo and in vitro investigations. The reviewed microfluidic devices are categorized based on their applications to various stages of Drosophila development. We have emphasized technologies that were utilized for tissue- and behavior-based investigations. Furthermore, the challenges and future directions in Drosophila-on-a-chip research, and its integration with other advanced technologies, will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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40
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Thongararm P, Fedeles BI, Khumsubdee S, Armijo AL, Kim L, Thiantanawat A, Promvijit J, Navasumrit P, Ruchirawat M, Croy RG, Essigmann JM. Modulation of N-Methyl- N-nitrosourea Mutagenesis in Mouse Embryo Fibroblasts Derived from the gpt Delta Mouse by an Inhibitor of the O6-Methylguanine Methyltransferase, MGMT. Chem Res Toxicol 2019; 33:625-633. [PMID: 31841318 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylating agents are abundant in the environment and are sometimes used in cancer chemotherapy. They react with DNA to form methyl-DNA adducts and byproduct lesions that can be both toxic and mutagenic. Foremost among the mutagenic lesions is O6-methylguanine (m6G), which base pairs with thymine during replication to cause GC → AT mutations. The gpt delta C57BL/6J mouse strain of Nohmi et al. (Mol. Mutagen 1996, 28, 465-70) reliably produces mutational spectra of many DNA damaging agents. In this work, mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) were made from gpt delta C57BL/6J mice and evaluated as a screening tool to determine the qualitative and quantitative features of mutagenesis by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU), a direct-acting DNA alkylator that serves as a model for environmental N-nitrosamines, such as N-nitrosodimethylamine and therapeutic agents such as Temozolomide. The DNA repair protein MGMT (O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase) protects against environmental mutagenesis by DNA methylating agents and, by removing m6G, limits the therapeutic potential of Temozolomide in cancer therapy. The gpt delta MEFs were treated with MNU to establish dose-dependent toxicity. In parallel, MNU mutagenicity was determined in the presence and absence of the MGMT inhibitor AA-CW236 (4-(2-(5-(chloromethyl)-4-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)ethyl)-3,5-dimethylisoxazole). With and without the inhibitor, the principal mutagenic event of MNU was GC → AT, but more mutations were observed when the inhibitor was present. Evidence that the mutagenic lesion was m6G was based on mass spectral data collected using O6-methyl-d3-guanine as an internal standard; m6G levels were higher in AA-CW236 treated MEFs by an amount proportional to the higher mutation frequency seen in the same cells. This work establishes gpt delta MEFs as a versatile tool for probing mutagenesis by environmental and therapeutic agents and as a cell culture model in which chemical genetics can be used to determine the impact of DNA repair on biological responses to DNA damaging agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pennapa Thongararm
- Departments of Biological Engineering and Chemistry, and Center for Environmental Health Sciences , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States.,Chulabhorn Research Institute , Bangkok 10210 , Thailand
| | - Bogdan I Fedeles
- Departments of Biological Engineering and Chemistry, and Center for Environmental Health Sciences , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
| | - Sakunchai Khumsubdee
- Departments of Biological Engineering and Chemistry, and Center for Environmental Health Sciences , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States.,Chulabhorn Research Institute , Bangkok 10210 , Thailand
| | - Amanda L Armijo
- Departments of Biological Engineering and Chemistry, and Center for Environmental Health Sciences , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
| | - Lina Kim
- Departments of Biological Engineering and Chemistry, and Center for Environmental Health Sciences , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Robert G Croy
- Departments of Biological Engineering and Chemistry, and Center for Environmental Health Sciences , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
| | - John M Essigmann
- Departments of Biological Engineering and Chemistry, and Center for Environmental Health Sciences , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
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41
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Abstract
Drosophila is an excellent system to investigate how the presence and composition of the gut microbiome influences the efficacy of therapeutic drugs and downstream consequences for host health. These opportunities derive from two key attributes of Drosophila. First, Drosophila is amenable for microbiome research, with simple, standardized methods to produce large numbers of microbiologically-sterile flies and flies with a standardized gut microbiome, thereby facilitating experimental reproducibility. Second, Drosophila is a well-established genetic model that is increasingly used to elucidate the molecular and physiological basis of lesions associated with human disease alleles; this provides the opportunity to link microbiome/drug interactions to previously-described processes shaping health and disease. In this way, Drosophila can fast-track understanding of fundamental biology to generate precise hypotheses for testing in mammalian systems. Drosophila is particularly well-suited to investigate the incidence of microbiome/drug interactions mediated by different mechanisms, including microbial drug metabolism (to active, inactive or toxic derivatives), microbial production of compounds that inhibit drug efficacy, and off-target effects of the drug on the microbiome, resulting in dysbiosis and host ill-health. Drosophila can also be used to investigate how interactions between the microbiome and host genotype may shape responses to therapeutic drugs, informing the reliability of precision medicine based exclusively on human genomic markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela E Douglas
- Department of Entomology and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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42
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Pfeifle I, Bohnekamp J, Volkhardt A, Kirsten H, Rohwedder A, Thum A, Magin TM, Kunz M. MEK inhibitor cobimetinib rescues a dRaf mutant lethal phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster. Exp Dermatol 2019; 28:1079-1082. [PMID: 31338879 DOI: 10.1111/exd.14010] [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: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Since Drosophila melanogaster has proven to be a useful model system to study phenotypes of oncogenic mutations and to identify new anti-cancer drugs, we generated human BRAFV600E homologous dRaf mutant (dRafA572E ) Drosophila melanogaster strains to use these for characterisation of mutant phenotypes and exploit these phenotypes for drug testing. For mutant gene expression, the GAL4/UAS expression system was used. dRafA572E was expressed tissue-specific in the eye, epidermis, heart, wings, secretory glands and in the whole animal. Expression of dRaf A572E under the control of an eye-specific driver led to semi-lethality and a rough eye phenotype. The vast majority of other tissue-specific and ubiquitous drivers led to a lethal phenotype only. The rough eye phenotype was used to test BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib and MEK1/2 inhibitor cobimetinib. There was no phenotype rescue by this treatment. However, a significant rescue of the lethal phenotype was observed under a gut-specific driver. Here, MEK1/2 inhibitor cobimetinib rescued Drosophila larvae to reach pupal stage in 37% of cases as compared to 1% in control experiments. Taken together, the BRAFV600E homolog dRaf A572E exerts mostly lethal effects in Drosophila. Gut-specific dRaf A572E expression might in future be developed further for drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Pfeifle
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jens Bohnekamp
- Institute of Biology, Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Division of Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Volkhardt
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Holger Kirsten
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics and Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Astrid Rohwedder
- Division of Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Thum
- Division of Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas M Magin
- Institute of Biology, Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Manfred Kunz
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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43
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Villegas SN, Gombos R, García-López L, Gutiérrez-Pérez I, García-Castillo J, Vallejo DM, Da Ros VG, Ballesta-Illán E, Mihály J, Dominguez M. PI3K/Akt Cooperates with Oncogenic Notch by Inducing Nitric Oxide-Dependent Inflammation. Cell Rep 2019. [PMID: 29514083 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.02.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, Notch, and other oncogenes cooperate in the induction of aggressive cancers. Elucidating how the PI3K/Akt pathway facilitates tumorigenesis by other oncogenes may offer opportunities to develop drugs with fewer side effects than those currently available. Here, using an unbiased in vivo chemical genetic screen in Drosophila, we identified compounds that inhibit the activity of proinflammatory enzymes nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and lipoxygenase (LOX) as selective suppressors of Notch-PI3K/Akt cooperative oncogenesis. Tumor silencing of NOS and LOX signaling mirrored the antitumor effect of the hit compounds, demonstrating their participation in Notch-PI3K/Akt-induced tumorigenesis. Oncogenic PI3K/Akt signaling triggered inflammation and immunosuppression via aberrant NOS expression. Accordingly, activated Notch tumorigenesis was fueled by hampering the immune response or by NOS overexpression to mimic a protumorigenic environment. Our lead compound, the LOX inhibitor BW B70C, also selectively killed human leukemic cells by dampening the NOTCH1-PI3K/AKT-eNOS axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Nahuel Villegas
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Miguel Hernández (CSIC-UMH), Avda. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain.
| | - Rita Gombos
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA-SZBK NAP B Axon Growth and Regeneration Group, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Lucia García-López
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Miguel Hernández (CSIC-UMH), Avda. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain
| | - Irene Gutiérrez-Pérez
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Miguel Hernández (CSIC-UMH), Avda. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain
| | - Jesús García-Castillo
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Miguel Hernández (CSIC-UMH), Avda. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain
| | - Diana Marcela Vallejo
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Miguel Hernández (CSIC-UMH), Avda. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain
| | - Vanina Gabriela Da Ros
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Miguel Hernández (CSIC-UMH), Avda. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain
| | - Esther Ballesta-Illán
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Miguel Hernández (CSIC-UMH), Avda. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain
| | - József Mihály
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA-SZBK NAP B Axon Growth and Regeneration Group, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Maria Dominguez
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Miguel Hernández (CSIC-UMH), Avda. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain.
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44
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Rosen H, Sharf R, Pechkovsky A, Salzberg A, Kleinberger T. Selective elimination of cancer cells by the adenovirus E4orf4 protein in a Drosophila cancer model: a new paradigm for cancer therapy. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:455. [PMID: 31186403 PMCID: PMC6560070 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1680-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The adenovirus (Ad) E4orf4 protein contributes to efficient progression of virus infection. When expressed alone E4orf4 induces p53- and caspase-independent cell-death, which is more effective in cancer cells than in normal cells in tissue culture. Cancer selectivity of E4orf4-induced cell-death may result from interference with various regulatory pathways that cancer cells are more dependent on, including DNA damage signaling and proliferation control. E4orf4 signaling is conserved in several organisms, including yeast, Drosophila, and mammalian cells, indicating that E4orf4-induced cell-death can be investigated in these model organisms. The Drosophila genetic model system has contributed significantly to the study of cancer and to identification of novel cancer therapeutics. Here, we used the fly model to investigate the ability of E4orf4 to eliminate cancer tissues in a whole organism with minimal damage to normal tissues. We show that E4orf4 dramatically inhibited tumorigenesis and rescued survival of flies carrying a variety of tumors, including highly aggressive and metastatic tumors in the fly brain and eye discs. Moreover, E4orf4 rescued the morphology of adult eyes containing scrib- cancer clones even when expressed at a much later stage than scrib elimination. The E4orf4 partner protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) was required for inhibition of tumorigenesis by E4orf4 in the system described here, whereas another E4orf4 partner, Src kinase, provided only minimal contribution to this process. Our results suggest that E4orf4 is an effective anticancer agent and reveal a promising potential for E4orf4-based cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helit Rosen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3109601, Haifa, Israel
| | - Rakefet Sharf
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3109601, Haifa, Israel
| | - Antonina Pechkovsky
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3109601, Haifa, Israel.,Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3109601, Haifa, Israel
| | - Adi Salzberg
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3109601, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tamar Kleinberger
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3109601, Haifa, Israel.
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45
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Su TT. Drug screening in Drosophila; why, when, and when not? WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2019; 8:e346. [PMID: 31056843 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The best global seller among oncology drugs in 2018 is lenalidomide, an analog of thalidomide. It took 53 years and a circuitous route from the discovery of thalidomide to approval of an analog for use in treatment of cancer. We understand now a lot more about the genetic and molecular basis of diseases than we did in 1953 when thalidomide was discovered. We have also no shortage of chemical libraries with hundreds of thousands of compounds, both synthetic and natural. What we need are better ways to search among these rich resources for compounds with the potential to do what we want them to do. This review summarizes examples from the literature that make Drosophila melanogaster a good model to screen for drugs, and discusses knowledge gaps and technical challenges that make Drosophila models not as widely used as they could or should be. This article is categorized under: Technologies > Analysis of Cell, Tissue, and Animal Phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tin Tin Su
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.,Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
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46
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Woo WK, Dzaki N, Thangadurai S, Azzam G. Ectopic miR-975 induces CTP synthase directed cell proliferation and differentiation in Drosophila melanogaster. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6096. [PMID: 30988367 PMCID: PMC6465261 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42369-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
CTP synthase (CTPSyn) is an essential metabolic enzyme, synthesizing precursors required for nucleotides and phospholipids production. Previous studies have also shown that CTPSyn is elevated in various cancers. In many organisms, CTPSyn compartmentalizes into filaments called cytoophidia. In Drosophila melanogaster, only its isoform C (CTPSynIsoC) forms cytoophidia. In the fruit fly's testis, cytoophidia are normally seen in the transit amplification regions close to its apical tip, where the stem-cell niche is located, and development is at its most rapid. Here, we report that CTPSynIsoC overexpression causes the lengthening of cytoophidia throughout the entirety of the testicular body. A bulging apical tip is found in approximately 34% of males overexpressing CTPSynIsoC. Immunostaining shows that this bulged phenotype is most likely due to increased numbers of both germline cells and spermatocytes. Through a microRNA (miRNA) overexpression screen, we found that ectopic miR-975 concurrently increases both the expression levels of CTPSyn and the length of its cytoophidia. The bulging testes phenotype was also recovered at a penetration of approximately 20%. However, qPCR assays reveal that CTPSynIsoC and miR-975 overexpression each provokes a differential response in expression of a number of cancer-related genes, indicating that the shared CTPSyn upregulation seen in either case is likely the cause of observed testicular overgrowth. This study presents the first instance of consequences of miRNA-asserted regulation upon CTPSyn in D. melanogaster, and further reaffirms the enzyme's close ties to germline cells overgrowth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Kan Woo
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Najat Dzaki
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
| | | | - Ghows Azzam
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
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47
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Sun Z, Liu JL. mTOR-S6K1 pathway mediates cytoophidium assembly. J Genet Genomics 2019; 46:65-74. [PMID: 30857853 PMCID: PMC6459811 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2018.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
CTP synthase (CTPS), the rate-limiting enzyme in de novo CTP biosynthesis, has been demonstrated to assemble into evolutionarily conserved filamentous structures, termed cytoophidia, in Drosophila, bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells. However, the regulation and function of the cytoophidium remain elusive. Here, we provide evidence that the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway controls cytoophidium assembly in mammalian and Drosophila cells. In mammalian cells, we find that inhibition of mTOR pathway attenuates cytoophidium formation. Moreover, CTPS cytoophidium assembly appears to be dependent on the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) mainly. In addition, knockdown of the mTORC1 downstream target S6K1 can inhibit cytoophidium formation, while overexpression of the constitutively active S6K1 reverses mTOR knockdown-induced cytoophidium disassembly. Finally, reducing mTOR protein expression results in a decrease of the length of cytoophidium in Drosophila follicle cells. Therefore, our study connects CTPS cytoophidium formation with the mTOR signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Ji-Long Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China; MRC Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PT, United Kingdom.
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48
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Papanikolopoulou K, Mudher A, Skoulakis E. An assessment of the translational relevance of Drosophila in drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2019; 14:303-313. [PMID: 30664368 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2019.1569624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Drosophila melanogaster offers a powerful expedient and economical system with facile genetics. Because of the high sequence and functional conservation with human disease-associated genes, it has been cardinal in deciphering disease mechanisms at the genetic and molecular level. Drosophila are amenable to and respond well to pharmaceutical treatment which coupled to their genetic tractability has led to discovery, repositioning, and validation of a number of compounds. Areas covered: This review summarizes the generation of fly models of human diseases, their advantages and use in elucidation of human disease mechanisms. Representative studies provide examples of the utility of this system in modeling diseases and the discovery, repositioning and testing on pharmaceuticals to ameliorate them. Expert opinion: Drosophila offers a facile and economical whole animal system with many homologous organs to humans, high functional conservation and established methods of generating and validating human disease models. Nevertheless, it remains relatively underused as a drug discovery tool probably because its relevance to mammalian systems remains under question. However, recent exciting success stories using Drosophila disease models for drug screening, repositioning and validation strongly suggest that fly models should figure prominently in the drug discovery pipeline from bench to bedside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Papanikolopoulou
- a Division of Neuroscience , Biomedical Sciences Research Centre "Alexander Fleming" , Vari , Greece
| | - Amrit Mudher
- b Centre for Biological Sciences , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK
| | - Efthimios Skoulakis
- a Division of Neuroscience , Biomedical Sciences Research Centre "Alexander Fleming" , Vari , Greece
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Abstract
Cancer is a cumulative manifestation of several complicated disease states that affect multiple organs. Over the last few decades, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, has become a successful model for studying human cancers. The genetic simplicity and vast arsenal of genetic tools available in Drosophila provides a unique opportunity to address questions regarding cancer initiation and progression that would be extremely challenging in other model systems. In this chapter we provide a historical overview of Drosophila as a model organism for cancer research, summarize the multitude of genetic tools available, offer a brief comparison between different model organisms and cell culture platforms used in cancer studies and briefly discuss some of the latest models and concepts in recent Drosophila cancer research.
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Bangi E. A Drosophila Based Cancer Drug Discovery Framework. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1167:237-248. [PMID: 31520359 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-23629-8_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been growing interest in using Drosophila for drug discovery as it provides a unique opportunity to screen small molecules against complex disease phenotypes in a whole animal setting. Furthermore, gene-compound interaction experiments that combine compound feeding with complex genetic manipulations enable exploration of compound mechanisms of response and resistance to an extent that is difficult to achieve in other experimental models. Here, I discuss how compound screening and testing approaches reported in Drosophila fit into the current cancer drug discovery pipeline. I then propose a framework for a Drosophila-based cancer drug discovery strategy which would allow the Drosophila research community to effectively leverage the power of Drosophila to identify candidate therapeutics and push our discoveries into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erdem Bangi
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
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