title: Canine spontaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinomas represent their human counterparts at the molecular level.
abstract: Spontaneous canine head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents an excellent model of human HNSCC but is greatly understudied. To better understand and utilize this valuable resource, we performed a pilot study that represents its first genome-wide characterization by investigating 12 canine HNSCC cases, of which 9 are oral, via high density array comparative genomic hybridization and RNA-seq. The analyses reveal that these canine cancers recapitulate many molecular features of human HNSCC. These include analogous genomic copy number abnormality landscapes and sequence mutation patterns, recurrent alteration of known HNSCC genes and pathways (e.g., cell cycle, PI3K/AKT signaling), and comparably extensive heterogeneity. Amplification or overexpression of protein kinase genes, matrix metalloproteinase genes, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition genes TWIST1 and SNAI1 are also prominent in these canine tumors. This pilot study, along with a rapidly growing body of literature on canine cancer, reemphasizes the potential value of spontaneous canine cancers in HNSCC basic and translational research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Deli
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Angela E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Nicole C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Northrup
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kevin K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Dobbin
authors.affiliation: Winship Cancer Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Dong M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Shaying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000662:veterinary; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C000604407:SNAI1 protein, human; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases