Assessment of celular proliferation and apoptosis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in dog’s undergone eletrochemotherapy

• Grant number: 15/09724-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: sabryna gouveia calazans
• Grantee: Marina Laudares Costa
• Host Institution: Coordenadoria Adjunta de Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a malignant tumor arising from the epidermal layer of the skin from the keratinocyte differentiation. This tumor affects mainly dogs from six to 10 years old and there is no gender preference. Currently, electrochemotherapy (ECT) has been highlighted in veterinary medicine due to its effectiveness, easy application, low toxicity and cost, therefore this could be the first-line treatment for some types of cancer, such as SCC in dogs and cats. Despite the ascending use of ECT in veterinary oncology of small animals, little is known about the effect of this therapy on the tumor tissue. In addition, there are no studies that demonstrate both apoptosis and cell proliferation during treatment. The objective of this study is to assess apoptosis (by means of immunostaining of bcl-2, bax and caspase-3 proteins) and cell proliferation (by measuring the mitotic index and immunostaining of Ki67) in skin SCC dogs undergone ECT. Fifteen dogs will be included, from any weight, gender and age, with skin SCC attended at Veterinary Hospital of the University of Franca (UNIFRAN), Franca-SP, from August 2015 to April 2016. Incisional biopsies will be conducted prior to the treatment of electrical pulses and 21 days after the procedure. The ECT protocol consists bleomycin and doxorubicin, both intravenously. After five minutes of bleomycin, doxorubicin will be infused concomitantly applications of electrical pulses. These pulses will be done over the extent of tumors by apparatus designed for that purpose (BK 100, Brunner). Thus, we expect to understand how the EQT influences the proliferation and cell death, before and after the electrical pulses into tumor.