title: Discovery of biologically active oncologic and immunologic small molecule therapies using zebrafish: overview and example of modulation of T cell activation.
abstract: Zebrafish models continue to gain popularity as in vivo models for drug discovery. Described in this overview are advantages and challenges of zebrafish drug screening, as well as a novel in vivo screen for immunomodulatory compounds using transgenic, T cell reporting zebrafish larvae designed for discovery of compounds targeting T cell leukemia. This assay system allows rapid screening of large numbers of compounds while avoiding the pitfalls of assays based on cell cultures, which lack biologic context and are afflicted by genomic instability. The rationale for this approach is based on similarities of immature normal T cells and developmentally arrested, malignant lymphoblasts in mammalian species. The screening algorithm has been used to identify a nontoxic compound with activity in both acute leukemia models and models of multiple sclerosis, demonstrating the utility of this screening procedure.
authors: Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
authors: Nikolaus S
authors: NS
authors: Trede
authors: William
authors: W
authors: Heaton
authors: Suzanne
authors: S
authors: Ridges
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Sofla
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Cusick
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Bearss
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Jones
authors: Robert S
authors: RS
authors: Fujinami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents