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Drug Screening of Primary Patient Derived Tumor Xenografts in Zebrafish
Published on: April 10, 2020
Zebrafish xenografts in breast cancer research
Xingyan Rong1, Han Chen2, Xiyuan Guo1
1Public Center of Experimental Technology, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Abstract:
Breast cancer (BC) tops the list of all malignancies diagnosed in women worldwide, with many patients diagnosed only at the metastatic stage. Current therapeutic paradigms integrating early detection modalities and multimodal treatment strategies have improved outcomes, yet persistent challenges in managing advanced/metastatic cases result in suboptimal 5-year survival rates. Therefore, it is imperative to develop novel therapeutic strategies for BC. Zebrafish breast cancer models have received great attention in this regard, and this review highlights recent advances in BC research involving these zebrafish models. In vivo research using zebrafish models is becoming increasingly valuable for studying BC invasion and metastasis, tumor angiogenesis, and screening for novel therapeutic molecules. These studies have provided insights into the molecular mechanisms of BC, potential drug targets and their efficacy and toxicity, and the application of zebrafish in personalized medicine research. Against this background, this review provides a systematic analysis of the recent advances in zebrafish BC model research regarding brain metastasis, bone metastasis, tumor angiogenesis, and drug screening. The review also critically evaluates the strengths and limitations of the zebrafish model organism, while delineating the future research directions in this field.
Insights
Zebrafish models offer valuable insights into breast cancer (BC) metastasis and drug screening. This review highlights advances in using zebrafish for understanding BC progression and developing new therapies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genetics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of cancer death in women globally, often diagnosed at the metastatic stage.
- Current treatments improve outcomes but face challenges with advanced/metastatic BC, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- Zebrafish models are emerging as powerful tools for BC research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in breast cancer research utilizing zebrafish models.
- To systematically analyze progress in understanding BC brain and bone metastasis, angiogenesis, and drug screening.
- To critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of zebrafish models in BC research.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature on zebrafish breast cancer models.
- Analysis of studies focusing on BC invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and therapeutic molecule screening in zebrafish.
- Evaluation of zebrafish models for personalized medicine research in BC.
Main Results:
- Zebrafish models provide valuable in vivo insights into BC invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis.
- These models aid in identifying potential drug targets, assessing drug efficacy, and evaluating toxicity.
- Zebrafish research contributes to understanding BC molecular mechanisms and advancing personalized medicine.
Conclusions:
- Zebrafish models are instrumental in advancing breast cancer research, particularly in metastasis and drug discovery.
- Continued research using zebrafish holds promise for developing more effective BC therapies and personalized treatment approaches.
- Understanding the strengths and limitations of zebrafish models is crucial for future research directions.
