Impact of 4NQO on Mouse Transcriptome

The Cancer Genome Atlas analysis of human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas shows that RAD18 expression increases compared to normal adjacent controls. The DNA repair protein Rad18 activates Trans-Lesion Synthesis DNA polymerases that are DNA damage-tolerant and potentially error-prone. Rad18 is also frequently overexpressed and pathologically activated in cancer cells. However, the extent to which Rad18 shapes cancer genomes and impacts tumorigenesis is unclear. The impact of a chemically-induced oral carcinogenesis model on the mouse transcriptome is tested in this project. Mice received 50 ug/ml 4-Nitroquinoline N-oxide (4NQO) dissolved in 20 ug/ml 1,2 propanediol (propylene glycol) diluted with sterile water. Tongues of mice were isolated 0, 2 and 14 days after 4NQO treatment.