Modelling 3D tumour microenvironment in vivo: a tool to predict cancer fate

Abstract

Recently, many studies demonstrated the fundamental role of tumour microenvironment (TME) in cancer progression. Here, we describe a state-of-the-art method to visualize in 3D the behaviour of tumours in zebrafish embryos. We highlight two major actors of TME, macrophages and vessels. This valuable tool is transposable to Patients Derived Xenograft imaging in order to predict the fate of malignant tumours according to the dynamics of their TME.

Melanoma innervation is associated with cancer progression in a zebrafish xenograft model

“…To evaluate the presence and role of innervation in melanoma progression, we used a novel transplantation assay, developed in zebrafish and described in Lorenzini et al , 2023 30 . Green fluorescent human malignant melanoma cell line (A375P) were transplanted in the swim bladder (SB) of 3 dpf larvae ( Figure 1A ).…”

“…Xenografts in larval zebrafish have emerged as a very powerful tool to characterize the role of different components of the TME 29 , thanks to the availability of many transgenic lines bearing reporters of different cells in the TME including neurons. Here we are using a human melanoma xenograft model in the zebrafish embryo that we have recently developed 30 . We report that this model recapitulates melanoma progression to the invasive state.…”