Divergent DNA methylation patterns and gene expression in MYC and in canine transmissible venereal tumors.

Background And Aim: Canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT), a unique transmissible cancer in dogs, affects the external genitalia and potentially spreads to other parts of the body. While somatic mutations in oncogenic and tumor-suppressing genes are linked to CTVT development, the impact of DNA methylation, which affects gene expression, remains unclear. This study explored whether DNA methylation in the promoter regions of the MYC oncogene and tumor suppressor genes in CTVTs is associated with their expression, both at the gene and protein levels.