mRNA-seq analysis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell line OC3 and TW2.6 derived xenografts (CDXs)

In many solid tumors, tissue of mesenchymal subtype is frequently associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) state, strong stromal infiltration, and poor prognosis. Emerging evidence from tumor ecosystem studies indicate that the stromal components, including cancer associated fibroblast (CAFs), actively participate in cancer growth and progression. Transcriptomic analysis of xenograft tissues provides a unique advantage in dissecting hallmark genes of tumor (human) or stromal (murine) origins. For each mouse, a half millions of mycoplasma-free TW2.6 or OC3 cells mixed with equal volume of Corning® Matrigel® matrix (Corning, NY, USA) was subcutaneously implanted into the flank of 10-16 (Exp1) or 11 (Exp2) week-old NOG (National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, Taiwan). We measured the tumor size and mouse weight twice a week. For Exp1, all tumors were collected at day 68. For Exp2, to obtain tumor with ~500 mm3 in size, tumors of TW2.6-NOG were collected at day 32; tumors of OC3-NOG were collected at day 81.