Angiogenesis and immunosuppression in the microenvironment of canine neoplasms

• Grant number: 20/10582-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2021
• End date: November 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo de Francisco Strefezzi
• Grantee: Ricardo de Francisco Strefezzi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Pirassununga
• Associated researchers: Adriana Tomoko Nishiya ; David John Argyle ; Heidge Fukumasu ; Juliano Coelho da Silveira ; Silvio Henrique de Freitas

Abstract

The tumour microenvironment includes neoplastic cells which are accompanied by several elements such as extracellular matrix proteins, endothelial cells, pericytes, fibroblasts and leukocytes. Their interactions may promote malignant transformation and increase the tumorigenic phenotype of cancer cells, inducing important phenomena as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, dissemination and metastasis. The literature about cancer shows that vascularization and immunosuppression are two of the most important hallmarks for tumour progression and, consequently, potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. The purpose of the present research project is to evaluate the relationship between tumoral angiogenesis and immunosuppression in canine cutaneous mast cell tumours (MCT) to identify novel prognostic and/or predictive markers for the disease. We will analyse the microvascular pericyte coverage index, the populations of macrophages and T lymphocytes, the expression of PD-L1 and other differentially expressed proteins between low- and high-grade MCTs, and the circulating extracellular vesicles in dogs with cutaneous MCTs. The results will be compared with consolidated prognostic markers for the disease and with the clinical course to verify their prognostic value and potential to become new therapeutic targets. (AU)

Scientific publications

(The scientific publications listed on this page originate from the Web of Science or SciELO databases. Their authors have cited FAPESP grant or fellowship project numbers awarded to Principal Investigators or Fellowship Recipients, whether or not they are among the authors. This information is collected automatically and retrieved directly from those bibliometric databases.)

VICENTE, GIOVANNA P.; DELLA SALDA, LEONARDO; STREFEZZI, RICARDO F.. Beclin-1 and LC3B expression in canine mast cell tumours: an immuno-ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study of autophagy. VETERINARY QUARTERLY, v. 44, n. 1, p. 15-pg., 2024-12-31. (21/02772-7, 21/14065-3, 20/10582-0)

GOUVEIA, BETHANIA ALMEIDA; RAMOS, FERNANDA RAMALHO; SILVA, INGRID KESTER LIMA; DE OLIVEIRA, THALITA EVANI SILVA; VASCONCELOS, ROSEMERI DE OLIVEIRA; XAVIER, JOSE GUILHERME; STREFEZZI, RICARDO FRANCISCO. Prognostic Implications of Decorin, E-Cadherin and EGFR Expression in Inflammatory and Non-Inflammatory Canine Mammary Carcinomas. VETERINARY AND COMPARATIVE ONCOLOGY, v. N/A, p. 10-pg., 2025-01-23. (21/14542-6, 20/10582-0)