HSP110 expression in canine mammary gland tumor and its correlation with histopathological classification and grade.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play critical roles as molecular chaperones, thereby promoting cellular homeostasis. HSPs are overexpressed in many types of human tumors and their serum concentration is elevated in cancer patients. Recent studies have suggested that HSPs may promote tumorigenesis via interactions with tumor-related proteins. There are only a few studies that address the expression of HSPs in canine tumors. In our previous study, we identified elevated levels of HSP110 expression in canine mammary gland tumors (cMGTs). In this study, we examined both serum concentrations and tissue expression of HSP110 in dogs with cMGT. We found that serum HSP110 concentrations were not significantly different in a comparison between dogs with cMGT (3.44 ± 1.27 µg/mL) and healthy controls (3.23 ± 1.18 µg/mL). By contrast, significant differences in levels of HSP110 expression were identified in comparisons between simple carcinoma and benign mixed tumor (p = 0.001), simple carcinoma and non-neoplastic lesions (p < 0.001), complex carcinoma and benign mixed tumor (p = 0.015), complex carcinoma and non-neoplastic lesions (p < 0.001), simple adenoma and benign mixed tumor (p = 0.041), and simple adenoma and non-neoplastic lesions (p = 0.007). Similarly, significantly different levels of HSP110 expression were identified when comparing grade Ⅲ with non-neoplastic lesion (p = 0.026), grade Ⅱ with benign tumor (p = 0.015), grade Ⅱ with non-neoplastic lesion (p < 0.001), and grade Ⅰ with non-neoplastic lesion (p < 0.001). Taken together, our results indicate that expression of HSP110 correlates with the malignancy in this cohort of dogs diagnosed with cMGT. These findings also suggest that HSP110 is associated with tumorigenesis and the relative malignancy of cMGT.

Prevalence of microorganisms associated with feline gingivostomatitis.

OBJECTIVES: Feline gingivostomatitis (FGS) is a painful chronic inflammatory disease of the oral cavity. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of detection of certain common feline bacteria and viruses to determine any potential associations with FGS. METHODS: A multicentre case-control study design was conducted. In total, 72 control cats and 32 cats with FGS were included in the study. Oral swabs were cultured for bacterial identification and a PCR assay was carried out to examine the infection of feline calicivirus (FCV), feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), Chlamydia felis, Mycoplasma felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in age distribution between the control and the FGS group. Based on a PCR assay, the positive rate of FCV was significantly higher in FGS cats than control animals. For other infectious pathogens, including FHV-1, C felis and M felis, there was no significant difference. Bacterial culture of oral swabs revealed that Pasteurella multocida was most frequently detected, but the detection rate was significantly lower in FGS cats. In FGS cats, the incidence of Enterococcus faecalis and anaerobic bacteria were more frequently isolated than in control cats. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study indicates that the positive rate of FCV was significantly higher in cats with FGS, and the microflora of the oral cavity of cats with FGS might be disrupted, although additional studies are required to compare the oral microbiome in cats of a variety of ages.