The Role of Fruit Flies in the Fight Against Cancer

by ilsbio

You might not think of fruit flies as more than a household nuisance, but cancer researchers have big plans for these tiny creatures. Their value to science deals with the cancer tissues information that fruit flies provide. Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly is being used in a variety of ways. Not only can drosophila help researchers pinpoint cancer tissue but they also aid in the understanding of how cancer tissues form in the human body.

In January of 2014, German and Italian biologists from the University of Konstanz employed fruit flies to identify cancer tissue by scent. Honey bees and dogs have exhibited similar abilities, but this batch of fruit flies was genetically modified to give off a specific color signature for different types of breast cancer cells. The researchers allowed different scents to waft over the tiny insects and studied their reactions under the microscope. When the fruit flies encountered cancer tissue, the genetic modifications made their antennas glow. In this experiment, researchers were able to obtain cancer tissues information that could one day be used for early detection in actual patients and thus save human lives.

Fruit flies can also play a vital role in understanding how cancer tissues form. It’s really all about the details. Fruit flies and humans are quite different, but on the genetic level they share many similarities. Researchers at Cambridge University focused on the Notch gene, which goes hyperactive in some cancers. It’s not entirely clear how this gene works, but scientists have found a link between overactive Notch genes and certain types of cancer. When the Notch gene becomes overactive, it sparks massive tissue overgrowth, leading to the formation of cancer.

So, for the purpose of this experiment, scientists introduced overactive Notch genes into fruit fly larvae. What they found was simply remarkable. A genetic battle was being waged within the fruit fly larvae. They were able to identify different cellular responses to the Notch gene, including the activation and overgrowth of certain tissues. This discovery could lead to better cancer drugs that target the Notch gene. This could lead to fewer side effects and more targeted treatment methods for patients suffering from Notch-related cancers.

Fruit flies have certainly joined in the fight against cancer, but they’ve been used in scientific research for years. Fruit flies are inexpensive, (much cheaper than lab mice) and share many of the same genetic markers as humans. They breed fast and take up less space than other animals, as well. For the purpose of cancer research, fruit flies allow scientists to make rapid and efficient experiments that yield vital cancer tissues information.