Free circulating versus extracellular vesicle-associated microRNA expression in canine T-cell lymphoma

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Biomarkers

Background:

• Canine lymphoma (cL) is a prevalent cancer in dogs, with T-cell lymphoma (TcL) exhibiting aggressive behavior.
• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in human cancers as biomarkers, but research in veterinary oncology is limited.
• Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can carry circulating miRNAs, offering a potential source for diagnostic markers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the expression patterns of free circulating and EV-associated miRNAs in dogs with T-cell lymphoma (TcL) versus healthy controls.
• To identify potential miRNA biomarkers for T-cell lymphoma in dogs.

Main Methods:

• Eight dogs with TcL and eight healthy controls provided plasma samples.
• Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were isolated from plasma using ultracentrifugation.
• Quantitative real-time PCR analyzed the expression of 88 target miRNAs from both EV-associated and free fractions.

Main Results:

• Ten differentially expressed miRNAs were found in EV-associated fractions, and seven in free-miRNA fractions.
• Has-miR-222-3p was the only miRNA overexpressed in both EV-associated and free fractions between groups.
• All identified differentially expressed miRNAs have been previously linked to human or canine cancers.

Conclusions:

• EV-associated miRNAs demonstrate greater stability and conservation compared to free miRNAs.
• EV-associated miRNAs hold promise as potential biomarkers for canine T-cell lymphoma.
• Further large-scale studies are warranted to validate these findings for clinical application.