Kallikrein-related Peptidase 5 (KLK5) Expression and Distribution in Canine Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is one of the most common types of malignant skin cancer in dogs, representing 3.9-10.4% of all canine skin tumours. Although the metastatic potential of cSCC is debated, it appears to mimic that observed in man. In man, predictive histopathological features for metastasis include tumour depth, lesions >5-6 mm in depth, and invasion of muscle, cartilage or bone. In dogs, some reports have focused on the clinical features and long-term progression of cSCC, but a gold standard treatment has not yet been developed. We explored the protein expression of kallikrein-related peptidase 5 (KLK5), an important modulator of skin homeostasis, in normal canine skin and in examples of cSCC. KLK5 was highly expressed in the upper stratum granulosum, stratum corneum, hair follicles and sweat glands, skin sites where human KLK5 has been shown to be involved in physiological processes including keratinocyte desquamation, antimicrobial defence, lipid permeability and pigmentation. In cSCC, tumour cells at the deep margin, as well as those in the centre of keratin pearls, displayed cytoplasmic expression of KLK5. Some of the KLK5 immunoreactive cells also expressed vimentin, suggesting that they may be undergoing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and therefore have a more invasive behaviour than those expressing only KLK5. KLK5 may be a novel molecular biomarker useful for predicting prognosis of cSSC in dogs.

Tamoxifen induces apoptotic neutrophil efferocytosis in horses.

Macrophages and neutrophils are important cellular components in the process of acute inflammation and its subsequent resolution, and evidence increasingly suggests that they play important functions during the resolution of chronic, adaptive inflammatory processes. Exacerbated neutrophil activity can be harmful to surrounding tissues; this is important in a range of diseases, including allergic asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in humans, and equine asthma (also known as recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Tamoxifen (TX) is a non-steroidal estrogen receptor modulator with effects on cell growth and survival. Previous studies showed that TX treatment in horses with induced acute pulmonary inflammation promoted early apoptosis of blood and BALF neutrophils, reduction of BALF neutrophils, and improvement in animals' clinical status. The aim of this study was to describe if TX induces in vitro efferocytosis of neutrophils by alveolar macrophages. Efferocytosis assay, myeloperoxidase (MPO) detection and translocation phosphatidylserine (PS) were performed on neutrophils isolated from peripheral blood samples from five healthy horses. In in vitro samples from heathy horses, TX treatment increases the phenomenon of efferocytosis of peripheral neutrophils by alveolar macrophages. Similar increases in supernatant MPO concentration and PS translocation were observed in TX-treated neutrophils, compared to control cells. In conclusion, these results confirm that tamoxifen has a direct effect on equine peripheral blood neutrophils, through stimulation of the engulfment of apoptotic neutrophils by alveolar macrophages.

Aspergillus fumigatus-sensitive IgE is associated with bronchial hypersensitivity in a murine model of neutrophilic airway inflammation.

Neutrophils are the predominant inflammatory cells that infiltrate airways during acute exacerbation of asthma. The importance of A. fumigatus sensitization, and IgE response in the airways in patients with acute asthma is unclear. Rockefeller (RK) mice were sensitized with A. fumigatus extract protein. The animals were subsequently challenged with different degrees of A. fumigatus contamination in the cage bedding. All groups of mice were euthanized to obtain bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for cytological and Elisa assays, and lung tissue for histological analysis. Moreover, several bioassays were conducted to determine whether BALF IgE antibodies can activate mast cells. In this study, we demonstrated that exposure of sensitized mice to a known concentration of A. fumigatus conidia produces bronchial hyperreactivity with marked neutrophilic bronchial infiltration and increased BALF IgE, capable of triggering mast cell degranulation. This study suggests that IgE may play a role in bronchial hyperreactivity associated to A. fumigatus exposure in mice. Mice sensitized and challenged with this fungus showed characteristics of severe asthma, with an increase of BALF neutrophils, histological changes consistent with severe asthma and an increase of IgE capable of triggering type I hypersensitivity.

Concurrent Gliosarcoma and Choroid Plexus Carcinoma in a Cow.

Brain tumours in cattle are uncommon and the spontaneous development of primary brain tumours of different histological types is rare in both man and animals. In man, multiple concurrent primary tumours of different types are occasionally described. We report the rare simultaneous occurrence of two different primary brain tumours, gliosarcoma and choroid plexus carcinoma, diagnosed by microscopical and immunofluorescence evaluation in an 8-year-old cow with a 2-month history of neurological disease. Gliosarcoma is a rare variant of glioblastoma multiforme, characterized by the presence of malignant glial cells and mesenchymal tissue. This tumour has not been reported previously in animals.

Reaginic antibodies from horses with recurrent airway obstruction produce mast cell stimulation.

Reaginic antibodies (IgE and some IgG subclasses) and mast cells play important roles in the induction of type I immediate hypersensitivity reactions. These antibodies bind through their Fc fragment to high affinity receptors (FcεRI) present in the membrane of mast cells and basophils. The cross-linking of the receptor initiates a coordinated sequence of biochemical and morphological events that results in exocytosis of secretory granules containing pre-formed inflammatory mediators, secretion of newly formed lipid mediators, and secretion of cytokines. Previously, several studies have investigated the role of reaginic antibodies in the pathogenesis of Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO). However, whereas the immunological aspects of RAO have been extensively studied, the precise sequence of events involved in the pathogenesis remains not completely understood, and the role of IgE in this disease remains controversial. Therefore, in this study, several bioassays were conducted to determine whether reaginic antibodies from RAO-affected horses have the ability to activate mast cells. These bioassays involved measuring degranulation of rat peritoneal mast cells, activation of NF-κB and morphological changes in basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3) following incubation with horse serum from RAO-affected horses that were sensitive and insensitive to Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) or from unaffected horses. Our results show that reaginic antibodies from horses sensitive to A. fumigatus were able to degranulate rat peritoneal mast cells. In additon, there was an increase in the activity of the transcription factor NF-κB in RBL-2H3 cells, and morphological changes were observed in these cells once cross-linking was produced. These findings were not found in horses not sensitive to A. fumigatus and healthy horses. These bioassays demonstrate the ability of reaginic antibodies to stimulate mast cells and indicate that these antibodies could be involved in the immunological mechanisms leading to RAO.

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis possibly associated with over-vaccination in a cocker spaniel.

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis was observed in a seven-month-old male cocker spaniel dog. The clinical, microbiological, biochemical, radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations ruled out neoplasia, congenital disease and infectious disease. The anamnesis revealed that the owner had vaccinated the dog seven times, one vaccination per month, without veterinarian supervision. In both kidneys, severe thickening of the glomerular capillary walls was observed. Electron microscope examination revealed a large number of electron-dense deposits that were primarily in the glomerular subendothelial spaces and the basal membrane, which is compatible with antigen-antibody complexes. The immunohistochemical examination revealed that the antigen present in the glomeruli corresponded with the antigen present in the vaccine. We report a type III hypersensitivity nephropathy in a young dog, which was possibly caused by over-vaccination.