Creating a Humanized Tumor Model in Drosophila melanogaster

Drosophila melanogaster (common fruit fly), and humans share many genetic similarities such as the main genes related to ovarian cancer in humans: PTEN, BRCA2, P53, NF1, and RB1. These are present in the form of homologous genes with important roles in cell cycle regulation, DNA repair, and cell polarity. Previous research indicates that loss of function of these genes results in High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC). After silencing different combinations of those target genes using the GAL4/UAS GAL80ts in our lab, epithelial deformation was observed within Drosophila ovaries, successfully creating a tumor model. We achieved a stronger tumor-like phenotype by effective silencing of the genes through prolonging silencing time and increasing working temperature. My objective is to use DAPI and immunohistochemistry as markers to determine morphological and polarity changes in ovarian follicle cells and quantify abnormalities in samples where the target genes were silenced. In addition, we applied the RNA-seq technique to detect any changes at the expression level of genes associated with the 5 gene alterations