Malignant pleural mesothelioma in a female lion (Panthera leo)

An 18-year-old female lion (Panthera leo) was referred to the Department of Animal Pathology of the University of Turin (Italy). At necropsy, multiple nodular, 4-20-mm, confluent white firm nodules were scattered throughout the pleural surfaces of the thoracic wall and of the lungs. Histological lesions were represented by proliferations of papillary structures lined by cuboidal basophilic mesothelial cells with large, oval nuclei and abundant granular eosinophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemistry revealed immunoreactivity for pancytokeratin and vimentin. None of the cells expressed calretinin antigen. Asbestos fibers and asbestos bodies were not detected respectively by light microscopy and by Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectrometer investigations. On the contrary, chrysotile asbestos were identified in samples from shelter material. Histological and immunohistochemical findings were consistent with the diagnosis of an epithelial malignant mesothelioma. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of a pleural mesothelioma in a lion.