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Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 51409

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Gabriele Grassi

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Guest Editor

Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Science, University of Trieste, 34129 Trieste, Italy
Interests: molecular mechanisms of anti-tumor drugs; drug delivery; miRNA; siRNA; hepatocellular carcinoma
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Federica Tonon

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Guest Editor

Breast Unit ASUGI (Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina), Trieste, Italy
Interests: molecular mechanisms of antitumor drugs; miRNA; siRNA; zebrafish model of human diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomedical research still depends on the use of animal models to clarify the molecular and cellular aspects of human disease and to develop alternative systems for testing innovative therapeutic molecules. In our efforts to reduce, refine, and progressively replace animal experiments in the biomedical research, zebrafish embryos could be an excellent alternative.

In the last two decades, the use of zebrafish as an experimental animal model has considerably increased not only for its peculiar characteristics (low maintenance cost, high fecundity, and optical clarity of the embryonic stages), but also for the high physiological and genetics similarity to humans, which allow us to develop effective human disease models.

In this Special Issue entitled “Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease”, we will address state-of-the-art knowledge of the use of Zebrafish as a tool for studying human pathologies, including tumor, genetic, and infectious diseases. This Special Issue welcomes original research and critical review manuscripts, focusing on molecular and biological aspects of human disease and on potential therapeutic approaches using zebrafish.

Prof. Dr. Gabriele Grassi
Dr. Federica Tonon
Guest Editors

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

zebrafish
human diseases
cancer
genetic diseases
infectious diseases
zebrafish Xenograft
zebrafish genetic lines

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review, Other

6 pages, 204 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease

by Federica Tonon and Gabriele Grassi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(10), 8771; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24108771 - 15 May 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2028

Abstract

Belonging to the family of Cyprinidae, the zebrafish is a small freshwater fish present in the rivers of Bangladesh, Northern India and Southern Nepal [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

Research

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15 pages, 3731 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Embryonic Amoxicillin Exposure Has Limited Impact on Liver Development but Increases Susceptibility to NAFLD in Zebrafish Larvae

by Peng Gao, Cheng Chang, Jieling Liang, Fen Du and Ruilin Zhang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(5), 2744; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25052744 - 27 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1710

Abstract

Amoxicillin is commonly used in clinical settings to target bacterial infection and is frequently prescribed during pregnancy. Investigations into its developmental toxicity and effects on disease susceptibility are not comprehensive. Our present study examined the effects of embryonic amoxicillin exposure on liver development and function, especially the effects on susceptibility to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using zebrafish as an animal model. We discovered that embryonic amoxicillin exposure did not compromise liver development, nor did it induce liver toxicity. However, co-treatment of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid diminished BESP expression, caused bile stasis and induced liver toxicity. Embryonic amoxicillin exposure resulted in elevated expression of lipid synthesis genes and exacerbated hepatic steatosis in a fructose-induced NAFLD model, indicating embryonic amoxicillin exposure increased susceptibility to NAFLD in zebrafish larvae. In summary, this research broadens our understanding of the risks of amoxicillin usage during pregnancy and provides evidence for the impact of embryonic amoxicillin exposure on disease susceptibility in offspring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

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17 pages, 2310 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Drug Administration Routes on the In Vivo Efficacy of the Natural Product Sorangicin A Using a Staphylococcus aureus Infection Model in Zebrafish Embryos

by Franziska Fries, Andreas M. Kany, Sari Rasheed, Anna K. H. Hirsch, Rolf Müller and Jennifer Herrmann

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(16), 12791; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241612791 - 14 Aug 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2333 | Correction

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus causes a wide range of infections, and it is one of the leading pathogens responsible for deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance, the rapid spread of which among S. aureus urges the discovery of new antibiotics. The evaluation of in vivo efficacy of novel drug candidates is usually performed using animal models. Recently, zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos have become increasingly attractive in early drug discovery. Herein, we established a zebrafish embryo model of S. aureus infection for evaluation of in vivo efficacy of novel potential antimicrobials. A local infection was induced by microinjecting mCherry-expressing S. aureus Newman followed by treatment with reference antibiotics via microinjection into different injection sites as well as via waterborne exposure to study the impact of the administration route on efficacy. We successfully used the developed model to evaluate the in vivo activity of the natural product sorangicin A, for which common mouse models were not successful due to fast degradation in plasma. In conclusion, we present a novel screening platform for assessing in vivo activity at the antibiotic discovery stage. Furthermore, this work provides consideration for the choice of an appropriate administration route based on the physicochemical properties of tested drugs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

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16 pages, 2683 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Type I Diabetes in Zebrafish Reduces Sperm Quality and Increases Insulin and Glucose Transporter Transcripts

by Patrícia Diogo, Gil Martins, Márcio Simão, Ana Marreiros, Ana Catarina Eufrásio, Elsa Cabrita and Paulo Jorge Gavaia

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(8), 7035; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24087035 - 11 Apr 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2703

Abstract

Type I diabetes is a prominent human pathology with increasing incidence in the population; however, its cause is still unknown. This disease promotes detrimental effects on reproduction, such as lower sperm motility and DNA integrity. Hence, the investigation of the underlying mechanisms of this metabolic disturbance in reproduction and its transgenerational consequences is of the utmost importance. The zebrafish is a useful model for this research considering its high homology with human genes as well as its fast generation and regeneration abilities. Therefore, we aimed to investigate sperm quality and genes relevant to diabetes in the spermatozoa of Tg(ins:nfsb-mCherry) zebrafish, a model for type I diabetes. Diabetic Tg(ins:nfsb-mCherry) males showed significantly higher expression of transcripts for insulin a (insa) and glucose transporter (slc2a2) compared to controls. Sperm obtained from the same treatment group showed significantly lower sperm motility, plasma membrane viability, and DNA integrity compared to that from the control group. Upon sperm cryopreservation, sperm freezability was reduced, which could be a consequence of poor initial sperm quality. Altogether, the data showed similar detrimental effects related to type I diabetes in zebrafish spermatozoa at the cellular and molecular levels. Therefore, our study validates the zebrafish model for type I diabetes research in germ cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

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22 pages, 5064 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro and In Vivo Biological Activity of Ruthenium 1,10-Phenanthroline-5,6-dione Arene Complexes

by Oscar A. Lenis-Rojas, Catarina Roma-Rodrigues, Beatriz Carvalho, Pablo Cabezas-Sainz, Sabela Fernández Vila, Laura Sánchez, Pedro V. Baptista, Alexandra R. Fernandes and Beatriz Royo

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(21), 13594; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232113594 - 6 Nov 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2988

Abstract

Ruthenium(II) arene complexes exhibit promising chemotherapeutic properties. In this study, the effect of the counter anion in Ru(II) complexes was evaluated by analyzing the biological effect of two Ru(II) p-cymene derivatives with the 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione ligand of general-formula [(η⁶-arene)Ru(L)Cl][X] X = CF₃SO₃ (JHOR10) and PF₆ (JHOR11). The biological activity of JHOR10 and JHOR11 was examined in the ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780, colorectal carcinoma cell line HCT116, doxorubicin-resistant HCT116 (HCT116-Dox) and in normal human dermal fibroblasts. Both complexes JHOR10 and JHOR11 displayed an antiproliferative effect on A2780 and HCT116 cell lines, and low cytotoxicity in fibroblasts. Interestingly, JHOR11 also showed antiproliferative activity in the HCT116-Dox cancer cell line, while JHOR10 was inactive. Studies in A2780 cells showed that JHOR11 induced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that trigger autophagy and cellular senescence, but no apoptosis induction. Further analysis showed that JHOR11 presented no tumorigenicity, with no effect in the cellular mobility, as evaluated by thye wound scratch assay, and no anti- or pro-angiogenic effect, as evaluated by the ex-ovo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Importantly, JHOR11 presented no toxicity in chicken and zebrafish embryos and reduced in vivo the proliferation of HCT116 injected into zebrafish embryos. These results show that these are suitable complexes for clinical applications with improved tumor cell cytotoxicity and low toxicity, and that counter-anion alteration might be a viable clinical strategy for improving chemotherapy outcomes in multidrug-resistant (MDR) tumors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

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13 pages, 9899 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Constitutive Loss of VCP (Valosin-Containing Protein) Impairs Proteostasis and Leads to Defective Striated Muscle Structure and Function In Vivo

by Philipp Voisard, Federica Diofano, Amelia A. Glazier, Wolfgang Rottbauer and Steffen Just

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6722; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126722 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3554

Abstract

Valosin-containing protein (VCP) acts as a key regulator of cellular protein homeostasis by coordinating protein turnover and quality control. Mutations in VCP lead to (cardio-)myopathy and neurodegenerative diseases such as inclusion body myopathy with Paget’s disease of the bone and frontotemporal dementia (IBMPFD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To date, due to embryonic lethality, no constitutive VCP knockout animal model exists. Here, we generated a constitutive CRISPR/Cas9-induced vcp knockout zebrafish model. Similar to the phenotype of vcp morphant knockdown zebrafish embryos, we found that vcp-null embryos displayed significantly impaired cardiac and skeletal muscle function. By ultrastructural analysis of skeletal muscle cells and cardiomyocytes, we observed severely disrupted myofibrillar organization and accumulation of inclusion bodies as well as mitochondrial degeneration. vcp knockout was associated with a significant accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, suggesting impaired proteasomal function. Additionally, markers of unfolded protein response (UPR)/ER-stress and autophagy-related mTOR signaling were elevated in vcp-deficient embryos, demonstrating impaired proteostasis in VCP-null zebrafish. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the successful generation of a stable constitutive vcp knockout zebrafish line that will enable characterization of the detailed mechanistic underpinnings of vcp loss, particularly the impact of disturbed protein homeostasis on organ development and function in vivo. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

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17 pages, 2990 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Zebrafish Xenograft Model for Studying Pancreatic Cancer-Instructed Innate Immune Microenvironment

by Xue Wang, Wei Li, Haowei Jiang, Cui Ma, Mengling Huang, Xiaona Wei, Wei Wang and Lili Jing

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6442; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126442 - 9 Jun 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3338

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has up to half the tumor mass of tumor-associated myeloid cells. Myeloid innate immune cells play important roles in regulating cancer cell recognition and tumor growth. PDAC cells often mold myeloid cells into pro-tumoral state to fuel cancer growth and induce immune suppression. However, how tumor cells educate the innate immune responses remains largely unknown. In this study, we used four different human PDAC cell lines (PANC1, BxPC3, AsPC1, and CFPAC1) to establish the zebrafish xenograft model and investigated the interaction between pancreatic cancer and innate immune cells. The primary tumor-derived cancer cells PANC1 and BxPC3 activated innate immune anti-tumoral responses efficiently, while cancer cells from metastatic tissues AsPC1 and CFPAC1 induced an innate immune suppression and educated innate immune cells towards pro-tumoral state. Chemical conversion of innate immune cells to anti-tumoral state inhibited tumor growth for AsPC1 and CFPAC1. Moreover, genetic and pharmacological inhibition of macrophages also significantly reduced tumor growth, supporting the important roles of macrophages in innate immune suppression. REG4 expression is high in AsPC1 and CFPAC1. Knockdown of REG4 induced innate immune activation and reduced tumor growth in the xenografts, indicating that REG4 is a beneficial target for PDAC therapy. Our study provides a fast in-vivo model to study PDAC-innate immune interaction and their plasticity that could be used to study the related mechanism as well as identify new drugs to enhance immunotherapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

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Review

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15 pages, 1231 KiB

Open AccessReview

Inflammation and Obesity: The Pharmacological Role of Flavonoids in the Zebrafish Model

by Caterina Russo, Alessandro Maugeri, Laura Musumeci, Giovambattista De Sarro, Santa Cirmi and Michele Navarra

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 2899; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032899 - 2 Feb 2023

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3639

Abstract

A Mediterranean-style diet is highly encouraged thanks to its healthy food pattern, which includes valuable nutraceuticals such as polyphenols. Among these, flavonoids are associated with relevant biological properties through which they prevent or fight the onset of several human pathologies. Globally, the enhanced incidence of overweight and obese people has caused a dramatic increase in comorbidities, raising the need to provide better therapies. Therefore, the development of sophisticated animal models of metabolic dysregulation has allowed for a deepening of knowledge on this subject. Recent advances in using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as model for metabolic disease have yielded fundamental insights into the potential anti-obesity effects of flavonoids. Chronic low-grade inflammation and immune system activation seem to characterize the pathogenesis of obesity; thus, their reduction might improve the lipid profile of obese patients or prevent the development of associated metabolic illnesses. In this review, we highlight the beneficial role of flavonoids on obesity and related diseases linked to their anti-inflammatory properties. In light of the summarized studies, we suggest that anti-inflammatory therapies could have a relevant place in the prevention and treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

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41 pages, 4576 KiB

Open AccessReview

Modelling Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Using Mice and Zebrafish

by Godfried Dougnon and Hideaki Matsui

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(14), 7550; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23147550 - 7 Jul 2022

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 11217

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two debilitating neurodevelopmental disorders. The former is associated with social impairments whereas the latter is associated with inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. There is recent evidence that both disorders are somehow related and that genes may play a large role in these disorders. Despite mounting human and animal research, the neurological pathways underlying ASD and ADHD are still not well understood. Scientists investigate neurodevelopmental disorders by using animal models that have high similarities in genetics and behaviours with humans. Mice have been utilized in neuroscience research as an excellent animal model for a long time; however, the zebrafish has attracted much attention recently, with an increasingly large number of studies using this model. In this review, we first discuss ASD and ADHD aetiology from a general point of view to their characteristics and treatments. We also compare mice and zebrafish for their similarities and discuss their advantages and limitations in neuroscience. Finally, we summarize the most recent and existing research on zebrafish and mouse models of ASD and ADHD. We believe that this review will serve as a unique document providing interesting information to date about these models, thus facilitating research on ASD and ADHD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

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12 pages, 945 KiB

Open AccessReview

Zebrafish Larvae Behavior Models as a Tool for Drug Screenings and Pre-Clinical Trials: A Review

by João Gabriel Santos Rosa, Carla Lima and Monica Lopes-Ferreira

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6647; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126647 - 14 Jun 2022

Cited by 87 | Viewed by 8506

Abstract

To discover new molecules or review the biological activity and toxicity of therapeutic substances, drug development, and research relies on robust biological systems to obtain reliable results. Phenotype-based screenings can transpose the organism’s compensatory pathways by adopting multi-target strategies for treating complex diseases, and zebrafish emerged as an important model for biomedical research and drug screenings. Zebrafish’s clear correlation between neuro-anatomical and physiological features and behavior is very similar to that verified in mammals, enabling the construction of reliable and relevant experimental models for neurological disorders research. Zebrafish presents highly conserved physiological pathways that are found in higher vertebrates, including mammals, along with a robust behavioral repertoire. Moreover, it is very sensitive to pharmacological/environmental manipulations, and these behavioral phenotypes are detected in both larvae and adults. These advantages align with the 3Rs concept and qualify the zebrafish as a powerful tool for drug screenings and pre-clinical trials. This review highlights important behavioral domains studied in zebrafish larvae and their neurotransmitter systems and summarizes currently used techniques to evaluate and quantify zebrafish larvae behavior in laboratory studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

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23 pages, 1853 KiB

Open AccessReview

Zebrafish: A New Promise to Study the Impact of Metabolic Disorders on the Brain

by Batoul Ghaddar and Nicolas Diotel

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(10), 5372; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23105372 - 11 May 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6410

Abstract

Zebrafish has become a popular model to study many physiological and pathophysiological processes in humans. In recent years, it has rapidly emerged in the study of metabolic disorders, namely, obesity and diabetes, as the regulatory mechanisms and metabolic pathways of glucose and lipid homeostasis are highly conserved between fish and mammals. Zebrafish is also widely used in the field of neurosciences to study brain plasticity and regenerative mechanisms due to the high maintenance and activity of neural stem cells during adulthood. Recently, a large body of evidence has established that metabolic disorders can alter brain homeostasis, leading to neuro-inflammation and oxidative stress and causing decreased neurogenesis. To date, these pathological metabolic conditions are also risk factors for the development of cognitive dysfunctions and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we first aim to describe the main metabolic models established in zebrafish to demonstrate their similarities with their respective mammalian/human counterparts. Then, in the second part, we report the impact of metabolic disorders (obesity and diabetes) on brain homeostasis with a particular focus on the blood–brain barrier, neuro-inflammation, oxidative stress, cognitive functions and brain plasticity. Finally, we propose interesting signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms to be explored in order to better understand how metabolic disorders can negatively impact neural stem cell activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zebrafish as an Experimental Model for Human Disease)

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