To contribute to the development of model animals for the study of brain cancer and the discovery of new therapies.
ZF-Glioma (CDTI I+D project IDI-20180384) is an international technologic cooperation project between India and Spain. Between 2018 and 2021, ZeClinics & Dr. Reddy´s Institute of Life Sciences (Hyderabad, India) have conducted a project, financed by CDTI through the bilateral ISIP Programme, and managed by the CDTI in collaboration with the Indian Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
The project has been based on the generation of several transgenic lines expressing the most relevant genetic alterations of tyrosine kinase associated with human glioma: RAS, EGFR, MET and AXL. The aim was to model human glioma (brain cancer) in zebrafish to screen for tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) with the potential to treat this devastating disease. With this goal, these genetically modified zebrafish models were generated and characterized with clinical approved TKI.
As an alternative screening method, we hypothesized that the administration of selected TKIs in wild type zebrafish larvae would promote a set of phenotypes characteristic of Rasopathies, a developmental disease promoted by the inhibition of the Ras signalling pathway.
Thanks to these screening strategies, 3 new TKIs have been identified as a potential therapy to treat gliomas. The project has been concluded as scheduled in March 2021.
“Funded by CDTI with support from the Ministry of Science and Innovation; program Proyectos CDTI de I+D, project reference: IDI-20180384”