title: Hmga2 is dispensable for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Hmga2 functions as a chromatin-associated factor during development, but is not expressed in most adult tissues. Expression of Hmga2 in adult tissues has been associated with a variety of human cancers. Numerous studies have implicated Hmga2 in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer progression through gain of function studies, but it is unclear whether Hgma2 is necessary for EMT, tumor formation or tumor progression. We deleted Hmga2 in two mouse models of squamous cell carcinoma and found this gene to be dispensable. In fact, EMT, tumor initiation and progression all appeared to be mostly unaffected by the absence of Hmga2. Tumors lacking the ability to induce Hmga2 proceeded to initiate cutaneous spindle cell and squamous cell carcinomas with all the typical pathological and molecular hallmarks of these cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Aimee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Lowry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D025743:HMGA2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D025743:HMGA2 Protein
keywords: Hmga2; hair follicle stem cells; squamous cell carcinoma; tumor progression