Increasing translatability of syngeneic mouse models of cancer through the application of human-validated, clinically relevant gene expression-based measurements of the tumor immune microenvironment. Wallen ZD & Strickland KC et al. AACR2025

Analysis of syngeneic mouse models using human-validated immune gene expression (iGEX) measurements to assess tumor immune microenvironments and treatment responses demonstrated that in vivo tumor fragments exhibited higher immune activity than in vitro tumor cell lines and closely resembled iGEX measures in human tumors. iGEX measures, including iGEX signatures of tumor immunogenicity and cellular proliferation and expression of an SSX1/2 mouse ortholog, were linked to variable treatment responses, highlighting the utility of syngeneic models as a translatable tool for detecting biomarkers of treatment response.