Podoplanin promotes cell proliferation, survival, and migration of canine non-tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma

Podoplanin (PDPN) is a prognostic factor and is involved in several mechanisms of tumor progression in human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Canine non-tonsillar SCC (NTSCC) is a common oral tumor in dogs and has a highly invasive characteristic. In this study, we investigated the function of PDPN in canine NTSCC. In canine NTSCC clinical samples, PDPN overexpression was observed in 80% of dogs with NTSCC, and PDPN expression was related to ki67 expression. In PDPN knocked-out canine NTSCC cells, cell proliferation, cancer stemness, and migration were suppressed. As the mechanism of PDPN-mediated cell proliferation, PDPN knocked-out induced apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest in canine NTSCC cells. These findings suggest that PDPN promotes tumor malignancies and may be a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for canine NTSCC.