Feeding amount significantly alters overt tumor onset rate in a zebrafish melanoma model

Vadim Grigura,Anna P Zarov,Charles K Kaufman,Megan Barbier

doi:10.1242/bio.030726

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe manner in which zebrafish are fed may have important impacts on the behavior of disease models. We examined the effect of different feeding regimens on the rate of overt melanoma tumor onset in a p53/BRAF-dependent model, a commonly used read-out in this and many other cancer models. We demonstrate that increased feeding leads to more rapid melanoma onset. The ability to modulate overt tumor onset rates with this regimen indicates additional flexibility to ‘tune’ the system to more quickly generate tumors for study and to begin to address questions related to cancer metabolism using the zebrafish model.

Highlights

Genetic models of cancer are dependent on defined driver oncogenes and tumor suppressors, creating a homogeneous population in which to study the effect of chosen perturbations on cancer formation
The long-recognized association between food/caloric intake and longevity/overall health, including rates of cancer, in many organisms (Ravussin et al, 2015; Mattison et al, 2017; Colman et al, 2014; Klass, 1977; Bross et al, 2005; Weindruch and Walford, 1982) led us to wonder if altered feeding of a favored zebrafish melanoma model (i.e. p53/BRAF model) would alter the rate of grossly detectable tumor onset (Patton et al, 2005; Ceol et al, 2011; White et al, 2011; Lian et al, 2012; Kaufman et al, 2016)
Developing juvenile zebrafish were fed via Tritone robot increasing aliquots of GEMMA pellet (Skretting)±rotifer culture (Fig. 1A; Table S1)

Summary

Introduction

Genetic models of cancer are dependent on defined driver oncogenes and tumor suppressors, creating a homogeneous population in which to study the effect of chosen perturbations on cancer formation. The long-recognized association between food/caloric intake and longevity/overall health, including rates of cancer, in many organisms (Ravussin et al, 2015; Mattison et al, 2017; Colman et al, 2014; Klass, 1977; Bross et al, 2005; Weindruch and Walford, 1982) led us to wonder if altered feeding of a favored zebrafish melanoma model (i.e. p53/BRAF model) would alter the rate of grossly detectable tumor onset (Patton et al, 2005; Ceol et al, 2011; White et al, 2011; Lian et al, 2012; Kaufman et al, 2016).

Results

Conclusion