01925-A: Discovery of Novel Micro-Ribonucleic Acids for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Canine Hemangiosarcoma

Project Summary

To date, all samples have been collected (5 normal spleens, 5 splenic nodular hyperplasias, 5 splenic hemangiosarcomas). RNA was extracted from the samples, processed and sent to the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Genomic Services Lab for RNA-sequencing. Preliminary results showed that the microRNAs expressed in hemangiosarcoma are different from both normal spleens and spleens with nodular hyperplasia. Further analysis is being done to identify novel microRNAs (those that have not been found before) and to determine what biochemical and cellular pathways these microRNAs play a role in. Many of the preliminarily identified microRNAs are known to be involved in human cancers, for example lower expression of miR-10a has been found in gastric cancer cells compared to normal gastric cells. Our results show that miR-10a has significantly lower expression in hemangiosarcoma samples than normal spleens. This may indicate that microRNAs play a role in cancer, and elucidating the specific microRNAs involved will allow us to target these microRNAs as diagnostic or therapeutic tools. Additional sequencing has been requested to determine the messenger RNA (mRNA) profile of our samples. Expression levels of these mRNA samples will allow us to confirm within our tissues the mRNAs that our microRNAs are targeting, giving us even more specific knowledge of what pathways are affected in these conditions. Our preliminary results have been incredibly helpful in supporting our suspicions that microRNAs play a role in the development of cancer. Using this knowledge, many additional studies can be performed to use this knowledge to the benefit of the patient, by using this to allow quicker diagnosis of these conditions, and allowing us to develop new treatment options that might allow us to extend survival times. Messenger RNA sequence data has also been obtained using these samples and supports the histopathologic classification of the tumors. The miRNA and mRNA data will be compared to determine if the mRNA validates the pathways suspected of being influenced by the miRNAs that have been identified.

Publication(s)