Genetic Characterization of Canine Brain Tumors

National Center For Advancing Translational Sciences

Investigators

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Abstract

Our collaborators previously ran RNA-Seq analyses on canine choroid plexus tumors, glioma, histiocytic sarcoma, and meningioma. This included data for 42 canine glioma samples, 10 canine choroid plexus samples, 13 canine brain histiocytic sarcoma samples, 8 non-brain Histiocytic sarcomas, 15 canine meningioma samples, and 10 normal canine brain samples. Previously we completed bioinformatic analysis on RNA-Seq data from brain histiocytic sarcoma, meningioma, and normal canine tissue samples. In FY21 we received additional RNA-Seq data for glioma, choroid plexus, and non-brain histiocytic sarcomas. We completed analysis of all data and identified 12 gene co-expression modules, each differentially activated for specific cancer types. Biological pathways associated with the genes of each module were determined. The highest expressing genes from each module were chosen as biomarker candidates and therapeutic targets for further study. Similar data on matched human cancers will also be analyzed, identifying gene modules and common genes between canine and human samples. Future directions include tissue and blood proteomics studies. Tissue-expressed proteins may provide actionable targets to drive drug discovery campaigns, while proteins in the blood may represent potential non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for cancer detection.