title: Identification of the two KIT isoforms and their expression status in canine hemangiosarcomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  KIT is a tyrosine kinase growth factor receptor. High expression of KIT has been found in several tumors including canine hemangiosarcoma (HSA). This study investigated the correlation of KIT expression and c-kit sequence mutations in canine HSAs and benign hemangiomas (HAs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining confirmed KIT expression in 94.4 % (34/36) of HSAs that was significantly higher than 0 % in HAs (0/16). Sequencing the entire c-kit coding region of HSAs and normal canine cerebellums (NCCs) revealed GNSK-deletion in exon 9. As for exon 9 genotyping by TA-cloning strategy, GNSK-deletion c-kit accounted for 48.6 % (68/140) colonies amplified from12 KIT-positive HSAs, a significantly higher frequency than 14.1 % (9/64) of colonies amplified from six NCCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the distinct expression pattern revealed by IHC, KIT might be used to distinguish benign or malignant vascular endothelial tumors. Moreover, the high incidence of GNSK-deletion c-kit in canine HSAs implicates KIT isoforms as possibly participating in the tumorigenesis of canine HSAs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan.|Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jiunn-Wang
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan. wlhsu@dragon.nchu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Wei-Li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan. scchang@dragon.nchu.edu.tw.|Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan. scchang@dragon.nchu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Shih-Chieh
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004285:Dogs; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
keywords: Canine; GNSK-deletion; Hemangiosarcoma; Isoform; KIT; c-kit