Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • In Brief
  • Published:

Cancer

A new zebrafish model of SHH medulloblastoma

Lab Animal volume 53, page 218 (2024)Cite this article

Medulloblastoma (MB), sonic hedgehog (SHH)-activated tumors are malignant pediatric tumors of the central nervous system. Although numerous SHH MB mouse models have been developed to better understand the mechanisms driving SHH MB progression and identify therapies, treatment regimens remain suboptimal for patients. A new study reports the development of a zebrafish model of SHH MB using CRISPR to create mutant ptch1, the most common genetic alteration in SHH MB. Analysis of transient ptch1-crispant zebrafish revealed that the animals rapidly developed brain tumors that genetically resembled human SHH MB. In addition, similar to human patients, loss of tp53 resulted in more aggressive tumors in ptch1-crispants. This new zebrafish model is highly amenable for target discovery in high-throughput screens. As a proof of concept, the investigators showed that inactivation of grk3, a downstream effector of the SHH pathway, improved ptch1-crispants survival, making the kinase a potential therapeutic target for SHH MB.

Original reference: Casey, M.J. et al. Cell Rep. 43, 114559 (2024)

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lab Animal https://www.nature.com/laban/

    Alexandra Le Bras

Authors
  1. Alexandra Le Bras
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexandra Le Bras.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Le Bras, A. A new zebrafish model of SHH medulloblastoma. Lab Anim 53, 218 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-024-01428-w

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-024-01428-w

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing