Sox21 activation in head and neck cancer

We used transcriptomics to study total total gene expression in patient-derived xenografts from humans with head and neck cancer, comparing total transcription among tumors to identify genes most conserved between xenograft. The approach permitted discovery of Sox21 as a candidate target in head and neck cancer in humans. In primary tumors from humans with head and neck cancer, Sox21 was among the genes transcriptome-wide most differentially expressed compared to normal tissue. A patient derived xenograft system allowed discovery of an important homeobox factor with integrated validation.