Heat shock proteins expression in canine intracutaneous cornifying epithelioma and squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are strongly implicated in the control of cell growth, differentiation and biological behaviour of many human cutaneous neoplasms. To our knowledge, no data have been published in the veterinary literature concerning either normal or neoplastic skin. In this study, the immunohistochemical expression of Hsp27, Hsp72 and Hsp73 was evaluated in normal canine skin, 14 intracutaneous cornifying epitheliomas (ICE), 10 well-differentiated and 5 moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Expression was correlated with the histological degree of keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation, and investigated as to its usefulness in the differential diagnosis of these canine tumours. In normal epidermis, Hsp27 exhibited cytoplasmic labelling in the spinous and granular layers, whereas in neoplastic tissues it was detected particularly in those areas showing squamous differentiation. Hsp72 immunoreactivity was more intense in ICE and well-differentiated SCC than in normal skin; however, reduced immunolabelling was observed in moderately differentiated SCC. Unlike Hsp72, Hsp73 showed less intense labelling in ICE and well-differentiated SCC than in normal epithelium and an increased positivity in moderately differentiated SCC. These results indicate that HSP immunoreactivity differs between normal and neoplastic canine skin. Hsp27 expression seems to correlate directly with cellular differentiation; by contrast, the involvement of Hsp72/73 in proliferation and differentiation of tumour cells remains controversial. The pattern and intensity of immunolabelling of each investigated HSP did not show, however, significant differences between ICE and SCC; therefore, they do not seem to be useful in the differential diagnosis of these two canine tumours.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of expression of heat shock proteins HSP70 and HSP90 in mammary gland neoplasms in bitches

“…Similar studies have been conducted in veterinary medicine, but to a lesser extent. In dogs, the expression of heat shock proteins was studied in normal skin and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (Romanucci et al 2005), as well as in canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT) (Beckmann et al 1990). A similar study was conducted by Rommanucci et al (2006) in mammary gland tumors in bitches.…”

“…Hsp70 and Hsp90 expression were found in human breast carcinoma cells (Havik and Bramham 2007). In dogs, the expression of heat shock proteins was found in squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (Romanucci et al 2005, Bongiovanni et al 2008, cervical cancer (Chu et al 2001) and mammary gland tumors (Kumaraguruparan et al 2006, Romanucci et al 2006. Romanucci (2006) demonstrated the expression of Hsp90 in all examined tumors (simple and complex carcinomas) and found that these proteins are associated with poor outcome and are involved in carcinogenesis in the same way as heat shock protein 27.…”

Canine Gastric Carcinoma

“…Specific, positive-control human tissues were used for Hsp27 (normal human skin) and Hsp70 (lobular breast carcinoma and colorectal carcinoma) immunostaining according to the data sheets. Additionally, we included HSP-positive canine tissue from a squamous cell carcinoma (skin) 35 and an intestinal tubular carcinoma. Canine tissues from intestinal carcinomas with known antigen profiles (A. Benito, unpublished doctoral dissertation, 2007.)…”

“…The immunoexpression indexes were calculated as the average of percentage of positive cells in 5 representative fields for each tumor. 3,10,18,19,23,26,35,44 For each tissue section, staining was scored as absent (grade 0), mild (grade 1: <10% positive cells), moderate (grade 2: 10-50% positive cells), and high (grade 3: >50% positive cells). Grades 0 and 1 were considered to be negative.…”

HSP27 is Commonly Expressed in Cervical Intraepithelial Lesions of Brazilian Women

“…In the cervix Hsp27 is a marker of cell differentiation, and is highly expressed during the process of squamous metaplasia (Liu et al, 2011). Romanucci et al (2005) suggested that Hsp27 should be regarded as a differentiation marker for keratinocytes, both in normal and in neoplasic canine skin.…”