Abstract
The use of transgenic mouse models has revolutionized the study of many human diseases. However, murine models are limited in their representation of spontaneously arising tumors and often lack key clinical signs and pathological changes. Thus, a closer representation of complex human diseases is of high therapeutic relevance. Given the high failure rate of drugs at the clinical trial phase (i.e., around 90%), there is a critical need for additional clinically relevant animal models. Companion animals like cats and dogs display chronic inflammatory or neoplastic diseases that closely resemble the human counterpart. Cat and dog patients can also be treated with clinically approved inhibitors or, if ethics and drug safety studies allow, pilot studies can be conducted using, e.g., inhibitors of the evolutionary conserved JAK-STAT pathway. The incidence by which different types of cancers occur in companion animals as well as mechanisms of disease are unique between humans and companion animals, where one can learn from each other. Taking advantage of this situation, existing inhibitors of known oncogenic STAT3/5 or JAK kinase signaling pathways can be studied in the context of rare human diseases, benefitting both, the development of drugs for human use and their application in veterinary medicine.
Highlights
Almost half of all households in the United States have at least one companion animal
The prevalence of cancer in companion animals has increased in the last decades, which may be the result of a real increase in cancer incidence, an increase in the population of companion animals at risk or the awareness and willingness of the animal owners to pursue diagnostic and treatment options [6]
Soft tissue sarcoma and feline non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for example are significantly higher than in humans (Table 1), whereas other tumor entities like lung, prostate and colon tumors are rare in companion animals
Summary
Almost half of all households in the United States have at least one companion animal. In dogs, resembles cancer in humans in many ways, including spontaneous disease occurring without an isogenic background or genetic engineering and shared environmental and societal status with. The Janus kinase (JAK)—signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway—provides a fast and efficient way for relaying signals from the extracellular space to the nucleus and modifying gene expression [22] Main targets of this pathway represent regulators of cell division and apoptosis as broadly discussed in several publications in this special issue [23,24,25]. This review will highlight, why companion animals and the dog represent an attractive link between murine models, addressing basic mechanistic aspects and human diseases in the context of JAK-STAT signaling
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
