Whole genome sequencing analysis of high confidence variants of B-cell lymphoma in Canis familiaris

PLoS One. 2020 Aug 28;15(8):e0238183. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238183. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Lymphoma (lymphosarcoma) is the second most frequent cancer in dogs and is clinically comparable to human non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Factors affecting canine lymphoma progression are unknown and complex, but there is evidence that genetic mutations play an important role. We employed Next Gen DNA sequencing of six dogs with multicentric B-cell lymphoma undergoing CHOP chemotherapy to identify genetic variations potentially impacting response. Paired samples from non-neoplastic tissue (blood mononuclear cells) and lymphoma were collected at the time of diagnosis. Cases with progression free survival above the median of 231 days were grouped as 'good' responders and cases below the median were categorized as 'poor' responders. The average number of variants found was 17,138 per case. The variants were filtered to examine those with predicted moderate or high impacts. Many of the genes with variants had human orthologs with links to cancer, but the majority of variants were not previously reported in canine or human lymphoma. Seven genes had variants found in the cancers of at least two 'poor' responders but in no 'good' responders: ATRNL1, BAIAP2L2, ZNF384, ST6GALNAC5, ENSCAFG00000030179 (human ortholog: riboflavin kinase RFK), ENSCAFG00000029320, and ENSCAFG00000007370 (human ortholog: immunoglobin IGKV4-1). Two genes had variants found in the cancers of at least two 'good' responders but in no 'poor' responders: COX18 and ENSCAFG00000030512. ENSCAFG00000030512 has no reported orthologue in any other species. The role of these mutations in the progression of canine lymphoma requires further functional analyses and larger scale study.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Cyclophosphamide / administration & dosage
  • Dog Diseases / drug therapy
  • Dog Diseases / genetics*
  • Dogs
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Genetic Variation
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / drug therapy
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / genetics
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / veterinary*
  • Prednisolone / administration & dosage
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vincristine / administration & dosage
  • Whole Genome Sequencing

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Vincristine
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Prednisolone

Supplementary concepts

  • VAP-cyclo protocol

Grants and funding

BLC, JPW, DB: grant #24467 Ontario Centres of Excellence, VIP II award in conjunction with funds from Rna Diagnostics Inc. https://www.oce-ontario.org/http://rnadiagnostics.com/ The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.