Genomic analysis of 4NQO-induced mouse oral squamous cell carcinomas. Genomic analysis of 4NQO-induced mouse oral squamous cell carcinomas Genomic analysis of 4NQO-induced mouse oral squamous cell carcinomas Genomic analysis of 4NQO-induced mouse oral squamous cell carcinomas

To establish whether 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide-induced carcinogenesis mirrors the heterogeneity of human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), we performed genomic analysis of mouse tongue lesions. We microdissected the epithelial compartment of FFPE-fixed sections and extracted DNA for whole-exome sequencing (WES). We have uncovered the mutational landscape of 4NQO-induced tongue squamous cell carcinoma, identifying the recurrently mutated genes and their time of onset. Furthermore, the mutational signatures of human and mouse OSCC overlapped extensively. Mutational burden was higher in moderate dysplasias and invasive SCCs than hyperplasias and mild dysplasias.