Gene expression profile at single cell level of genetically defined organoid models in neoplastic evolution of head and heck squamous cell carcinoma

To investigate the molecular mechanisms driving neoplastic evolution in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, we established genetically defined mouse tongue organoid models harboring key driver mutations: control (Ctrl), Trp53/Cdkn2a dual-knockout with a control vector (DKOC), and Trp53/Cdkn2a dual-knockout with the PIK3CA E545K mutation (DKOP), and performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) using the 10x Genomics platform on these organoid lines. Overall design: Wild-type mouse tongue organoids were first generated from wild-type C57BL/6 mice and subsequently genetically engineered into three lines: Ctrl, DKOC, DKOP. ScRNA-seq was performed to assess the impact of the dual-knockout of Trp53/Cdkn2a and the additional PIK3CA E545K mutation on gene expression profiles and cellular states within these organoid models.