MET oncogene aberrant expression in canine osteosarcoma

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of the MET oncogene in canine osteosarcoma. Seven large-breed dogs affected by spontaneous ske letal osteosarcoma underwent en bloc tumor excision. Total RNA was extracte d from frozen tumor samples and assessed for expression of the MET oncogene by Northern blot analysis. Five of seven biopsy samples expressed high lev els of the MET oncogene; its expression in the primary tumors was comparabl e with that previously identified in primary osteosarcomas in humans. A lun g metastasis from one of the dogs expressed MET at a higher level than did its primary tumor. Spontaneously arising osteosarcoma in dogs clinically an d pathologically mimics the corresponding disease in humans. We previously demonstrated that the MET oncogene was aberrantly expressed in a high perce ntage of human osteosarcomas. The results of the current study also provide a molecular parallel between the tumors in dogs and humans. This in vivo m odel may be helpful in evaluating new strategies for therapy against osteos arcoma.