Metabolic syndrome is a pathological condition characterized by obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, elevated levels of triglycerides and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol that increase cardiovascular disease risk and type 2 diabetes. Although numerous predisposing genetic risk factors have been identified, the biological mechanisms underlying this complex phenotype are not fully elucidated. Here we introduce a systems biology approach based on network analysis to investigate deregulated biological processes and subsequently identify drug repurposing candidates. A proximity score describing the interaction between drugs and pathways is defined by combining topological and functional similarities. The results of this computational framework highlight a prominent role of the immune system in metabolic syndrome and suggest a potential use of the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib as a novel pharmacological treatment. An experimental validation using a high fat diet-induced obesity model in zebrafish larvae shows the effectiveness of ibrutinib in lowering the inflammatory load due to macrophage accumulation.

Recently, many studies demonstrated the fundamental role of the tumour microenvironment (TME) in cancer progression. Here, we describe a method to visualize in 3D the behaviour of tumours in zebrafish embryos. We highlight two major actors of the TME, macrophages and vessels. This valuable tool is transposable to Patient-Derived Xenograft imaging in order to predict the fate of malignant tumours according to the dynamics of their TME.

The tumor microenvironment, including the peripheral nervous system, plays a key role in regulating tumor biology, from initiation to cancer progression. Here, by modeling aggressive melanoma in larval zebrafish xenografts, we shed light on the dynamics of tumor innervation in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Axonogenesis and dendritogenesis were detected in the neurons surrounding the melanoma niche and neurogenesis was observed in the nearby population of the enteric nervous system. We also demonstrate the crucial role of noradrenaline in promoting melanoma progression with the dissemination and invasion of cancer cells to distant tissues. This zebrafish model will allow to uncover neural markers associated with melanoma progression to help in the design of innovative anti-neurogenic therapies targeting specifically the neuronal signals that regulate melanoma progression.

The neural crest (NC) is an embryonic multipotent and transitory population of cells that appears during late gastrulation/early neurulation in the developing embryos of vertebrate organisms. Often called “the fourth germ layer”, the NC is characterised by incredible mobility, which allows the NC cells to migrate throughout the whole embryo, giving rise to an astonishing number of different derivatives in the adult organism, such as craniofacial skeleton, adrenal gland, enteric nervous system and melanocytes. Because of these properties, neurocristopathies (NCPs), which is the term used to classify genetic diseases associated with NC developmental defects, are often syndromic and, taken all together, are the most common type of genetic disease. The NEUcrest consortium is an EU funded innovative training network (ITN) that aims to study the NC and NCPs. In March 2024, the early stage researchers (ESRs) in the NEUcrest consortium organised an in-person conference for well-established and early career researchers to discuss new advances in the NC and NCPs field, starting from the induction of the NC, and then moving on to migration and differentiation processes they undergo. The conference focused heavily on NCPs associated with each of these steps. The conference also included events, such as a round table to discuss the future of the NC research, plus a talk by a person living with an NCP. This 3-day conference aimed to bring together the past, present and future of this field to try and unravel the mysteries of this unique cell population.

Nuclear envelope fragility has been identified as a hallmark of the metastatic process. Indeed, cancer cells undertake a challenging journey through diverse environments during metastasis, notably squeezing through narrow spaces and dense collagen matrices. In their report, Baird et al. identify a key player in nuclear fragility in confined cancer cell migration: the Lamin B receptor. Its overexpression and clustering in specific regions of the nuclear envelope increase nuclear distortion and fragility, rendering nuclei more susceptible to rupture with consequent chromatin extrusion and genomic instability. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying this process, particularly the receptor's sterol reductase activity, represents a promising step towards the identification of novel therapeutic targets.