Accession Number:

ADA581661

Title:

Zebrafish Model of NF1 for Structure-Function Analysis, Mechanisms of Glial Tumorigenesis, and Chemical Biology

Descriptive Note:

Annual rept. 1 May 2012 30 April 2013

Corporate Author:

DANA-FARBER CANCER INST BOSTON MA

Personal Author(s):

• Look, A. T.

Report Date:

2013-05-01

Pagination or Media Count:

26.0

Abstract:

During the past year, we have significantly furthered our studies towards meeting the goals set forth in the funded proposal. An exciting phenotype has been identified that is relevant to the human NF1 disease and to the potential development of meaningful therapies. In collaboration with the Granato lab at Penn, the Epstein lab has discovered striking learning and memory defects in mutant fish. In the Look lab, the zebrafish models of the NF1 tumor suppressor linked cancers of MPNST and glioma have been completely updated to make them optimal for the structure function studies. Three different strategies are being launched to further accelerate the onset of these tumors to increase the precision of the structure function studies to elucidate the mechanism of tumor suppression by NF1. We are making arrangements now to ship our NF1 zebrafish lines to ZIRC, so they are available to our colleagues in the NF1 and zebrafish communities. These genetically engineered lines will be excellent candidates for use in screening small molecules and for use in performing genetic screens to identify modulators of this important disease.

Descriptors:

• *GENES
• FISHES
• LEARNING
• MEMORY(PSYCHOLOGY)
• MUTATIONS
• NEOPLASMS

Subject Categories:

• Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology
• Medicine and Medical Research

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE