Endostatin concentrations in healthy dogs and dogs with selected neoplasms

Endostatin prevents angiogenesis and tumor growth by inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation and migration. The purpose of this study was to determine serum endostatin concentrations in 53 healthy dogs and in 38 dogs with confirmed malignant neoplasms. Endostatin concentration was determined with a competitive enzymatic immunoassay (EIA) with rabbit polyclonal antibody generated against a recombinant canine endostatin protein. Both the presence of cancer and increasing age were associated with increased serum concentration of endostatin. Endostatin concentration in healthy dogs was 87.7 +/- 3.5 ng/mL. Upper and lower limits of the reference range for serum endostatin concentration in healthy dogs were 60 and 113 ng/mL. Dogs with lymphoma (LSA) and hemangiosarcoma (HSA) had endostatin concentrations of 107 +/- 9.3 ng/mL. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that endostatin can be quantified in dogs and that endostatin concentrations are high in dogs with HSA and LSA.