Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 20, 2026

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods
07:49

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods

Published on: July 17, 2019

6.5K

Comparative Aspects of BRAF Mutations in Canine Cancers

Hiroyuki Mochizuki1, Matthew Breen1,2,3,4

  • 1Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA. hmochiz@ncsu.edu.

Veterinary Sciences
|October 25, 2017
PubMed

Insights

BRAF mutations drive cancer by activating the MAPK pathway. Studying these mutations in dogs offers insights into human cancers and potential new treatments for veterinary oncology.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Comparative Medicine

Background:

  • Activating BRAF mutations constitutively activate the MAPK pathway, a key driver in various human cancers.
  • BRAF mutations and MAPK pathway activation are conserved oncogenic alterations found in both human and canine cancers.
  • Targeted inhibitors have improved outcomes for human melanoma patients with BRAF mutations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on BRAF mutations in human and canine cancers.
  • To discuss the potential of canine cancer models for understanding BRAF/MAPK pathway dysregulation.
  • To explore BRAF mutations as a therapeutic target and molecular marker in veterinary oncology.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on BRAF mutations in human and canine cancers.
  • Comparative analysis of BRAF/MAPK pathway activation in different species.
  • Discussion of therapeutic strategies targeting the BRAF/MAPK pathway.

Main Results:

  • BRAF mutations are significant oncogenic drivers in both human and canine cancers.
  • Canine cancer models provide a valuable platform for studying BRAF/MAPK pathway dysregulation.
  • BRAF mutations represent a conserved molecular abnormality with therapeutic potential across species.

Conclusions:

  • BRAF mutations are evolutionarily conserved and play a critical role in carcinogenesis.
  • Comparative oncology using dogs can yield insights into human cancer biology and treatment.
  • BRAF mutations hold promise as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets in veterinary oncology.
Keywords:
bladder cancercomparative oncologydogsmitogen-activated protein kinasetransitional cell carcinomaurothelial carcinoma

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