Evaluation of CD30 expression in canine cutaneous mast cell tumours and its relation to prognosis

• Grant number: 23/00296-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo de Francisco Strefezzi
• Grantee: Fernanda Ramalho Ramos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/03600-3 - New potential tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for the treatment of canine mast cell tumors (MCTs), BE.EP.MS

Abstract

Mast cell tumour (MCT) is dogs' second most frequent malignant neoplasm. Histopathological examination is the most common method for diagnosis and the primary tool for predicting the tumour's biological behaviour. However, the identification of mast cells in poorly differentiated MCTs, and the distinction between neoplastic and non-neoplastic mast cells is challenging. In humans, CD30 is used as a new therapeutic target in mast cell neoplasms and a marker of neoplastic mast cells, whereas in dogs, studies indicate that CD30 is a potential marker of canine MCT. Thus, this study aims to investigate the expression of CD30 in mast cells from normal canine skin and cutaneous MCTs and its role as a prognostic indicator in this species. Using immunohistochemistry, 150 cases of canine cutaneous MCTs of different histological grades, obtained from the Veterinary Hospital and the Tumour Bank of the Laboratory of Comparative and Translational Oncology of the FZEA-USP, will be analysed. CD30 expression in neoplastic mast cells will be compared with those in the normal skin, skin affected by allergy/inflammation, Anaplastic large cell lymphoma and the most frequent sub-types of canine Lymphoma, as well as between MCTs of different histological grades, with well-known prognostic indicators for the disease (mitotic count, Ki67 index and CD117/KIT staining patterns), post-surgical survival and mortality due to the disease.