Agnese Kocere

• Kocere, Agnese; Resseguier, Julien; Wohlmann, Jens; Skjeldal, Frode Miltzow; Khan, Shanawaz & Speth, Martin [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2020). Real-time imaging of polymersome nanoparticles in zebrafish embryos engrafted with melanoma cancer cells: Localization, toxicity and treatment analysis. EBioMedicine. 58, p. 1–12. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.102902. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background The developing zebrafish is an emerging tool in nanomedicine, allowing non-invasive live imaging of the whole animal at higher resolution than is possible in the more commonly used mouse models. In addition, several transgenic fish lines are available endowed with selected cell types expressing fluorescent proteins; this allows nanoparticles to be visualized together with host cells. Methods Here, we introduce the zebrafish neural tube as a robust injection site for cancer cells, excellently suited for high resolution imaging. We use light and electron microscopy to evaluate cancer growth and to follow the fate of intravenously injected nanoparticles. Findings Fluorescently labelled mouse melanoma B16 cells, when injected into this structure proliferated rapidly and stimulated angiogenesis of new vessels. In addition, macrophages, but not neutrophils, selectively accumulated in the tumour region. When injected intravenously, nanoparticles made of Cy5-labelled poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(2-(diisopropyl amino) ethyl methacrylate) (PEG-PDPA) selectively accumulated in the neural tube cancer region and were seen in individual cancer cells and tumour associated macrophages. Moreover, when doxorubicin was released from PEG-PDPA, in a pH dependant manner, these nanoparticles could strongly reduce toxicity and improve the treatment outcome compared to the free drug in zebrafish xenotransplanted with mouse melanoma B16 or human derived melanoma cells. Interpretation The zebrafish has the potential of becoming an important intermediate step, before the mouse model, for testing nanomedicines against patient-derived cancer cells.

• Dal, Nils-Jørgen Knudsen; Kocere, Agnese; Wohlmann, Jens; Herck, Simon Van; Bauer, Tobias A & Resseguier, Julien [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2020). Zebrafish Embryos Allow Prediction of Nanoparticle Circulation Times in Mice and Facilitate Quantification of Nanoparticle–Cell Interactions. Small. ISSN 1613-6810. 16(5), p. 1–12. doi: 10.1002/smll.201906719. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The zebrafish embryo is a vertebrate well suited for visualizing nanoparticles at high resolution in live animals. Its optical transparency and genetic versatility allow noninvasive, real‐time observations of vascular flow of nanoparticles and their interactions with cells throughout the body. As a consequence, this system enables the acquisition of quantitative data that are difficult to obtain in rodents. Until now, a few studies using the zebrafish model have only described semiquantitative results on key nanoparticle parameters. Here, a MACRO dedicated to automated quantitative methods is described for analyzing important parameters of nanoparticle behavior, such as circulation time and interactions with key target cells, macrophages, and endothelial cells. Direct comparison of four nanoparticle (NP) formulations in zebrafish embryos and mice reveals that data obtained in zebrafish can be used to predict NPs' behavior in the mouse model. NPs having long or short blood circulation in rodents behave similarly in the zebrafish embryo, with low circulation times being a consequence of NP uptake into macrophages or endothelial cells. It is proposed that the zebrafish embryo has the potential to become an important intermediate screening system for nanoparticle research to bridge the gap between cell culture studies and preclinical rodent models such as the mouse.

• Driessche, Alexandra Van; Kocere, Agnese; Everaert, Hannelien; Nuhn, Lutz; Herck, Simon Van & Griffiths, Gareth Wyn [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2018). pH-sensitive hydrazone-linked doxorubicin nanogels via polymeric-activated ester scaffolds: Synthesis, assembly, and in vitro and in vivo evaluation in tumor-bearing zebrafish. Chemistry of Materials. ISSN 0897-4756. 30(23), p. 8587–8596. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.8b03702. Full text in Research Archive
• Fenaroli, Federico; Repnik, Urska; Xu, Yitian; Johann, Kerstin; Herck, Simon Van & Dey, Pradip [Show all 15 contributors for this article] (2018). Enhanced permeability and retention-like extravasation of nanoparticles from the vasculature into tuberculosis granulomas in zebrafish and mouse models. ACS Nano. ISSN 1936-0851. 12(8), p. 8646–8661. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.8b04433. Full text in Research Archive

View all works in NVA