Invasive Front Grading and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Canine Oral and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Pathology
• Oncology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Oral and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are common in dogs.
• Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and altered adhesion molecule expression are crucial in tumor invasion.
• Understanding these factors is key to predicting canine SCC behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate histological invasive front grading and EMT in canine oral and cutaneous SCC.
• To assess the expression of key adhesion molecules (E-cadherin, β-catenin, desmoglein, vimentin, N-cadherin) in relation to tumor location and grade.
• To determine the utility of these markers for predicting the biological behavior of canine SCC.

Main Methods:

• Histological invasive front grading was performed on oral and cutaneous SCC samples.
• Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, desmoglein, vimentin, and N-cadherin.
• Statistical analysis was employed to correlate grading, EMT markers, and tumor location.

Main Results:

• Invasive front grading yielded higher scores than surface grading, irrespective of tumor location.
• Oral SCCs exhibited significantly higher histological grades and lower expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and desmoglein compared to cutaneous SCCs.
• Loss of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and desmoglein was significantly associated with higher invasive front grades, with vimentin and N-cadherin also playing a role.

Conclusions:

• E-cadherin, β-catenin, and desmoglein are valuable markers for predicting canine SCC biological behavior.
• EMT correlates with histological grade and biological behavior, varying by tumor primary site.
• Combining invasive front grading with assessment of these adhesion molecules offers a more accurate prediction of canine SCC behavior.