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Embryogenesis meets tumorigenesis

Nature Medicine volume 12, pages 882–884 (2006)Cite this article

Transplantation of metastatic melanoma cells into zebrafish embryo disrupts development—and identifies a potential new drug target for this deadly cancer (pages 925–932).

Metastatic melanoma remains one of the deadliest diseases, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 20%. The identification of new biological mediators of disease is the most rational approach to developing drugs to shift these dismal odds. An experimental strategy using zebrafish embryos now helps uncover one such possible entity—Nodal, a member of the TGF-β superfamily. Topczewska et al. report that this morphogen is secreted by advanced melanomas to promote tumorigenicity and that inhibition of Nodal initiates tumor regression1. This report has numerous implications for melanoma biology, opening the door to improved prognostic indicators and therapies.

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Figure 1: Nodal expression in melanoma.

Kim Caesar

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program of Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, 19104, Pennsylvania, USA

    John T Lee & Meenhard Herlyn

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  1. John T Lee
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  2. Meenhard Herlyn
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Lee, J., Herlyn, M. Embryogenesis meets tumorigenesis. Nat Med 12, 882–884 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0806-882

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