Two of a kind: transmissible Schwann cell cancers in the endangered Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii).
In this study, we compared the transcriptome and proteome of DFT2 tumours to DFT1 and normal Tasmanian devil tissues to determine the tissue-of-origin of the DFT2 cancer. Our findings demonstrate that DFT2 expresses a range of Schwann cell markers and exhibits expression patterns consistent with a similar origin to the DFT1 cancer. Furthermore, DFT2 cells express genes associated with the repair response to peripheral nerve damage. These findings suggest that devils may be predisposed to transmissible cancers of Schwann cell origin. The combined effect of factors such as frequent nerve damage from biting, Schwann cell plasticity and low genetic diversity may allow these cancers to develop on rare occasions. The emergence of two independent transmissible cancers from the same tissue in the Tasmanian devil presents an unprecedented opportunity to gain insight into cancer development, evolution and immune evasion in mammalian species.
PMID: 31375869 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - Category: Cytology Authors: Patchett AL, Coorens THH, Darby J, Wilson R, McKay MJ, Kamath KS, Rubin A, Wakefield M, Mcintosh L, Mangiola S, Pye RJ, Flies AS, Corcoran LM, Lyons AB, Woods GM, Murchison EP, Papenfuss AT, Tovar C Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: research