Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 10, 2026
07:25
A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Published on: March 6, 2018
13.7K
Comparative histologic survey and transcriptomic investigation into canine prostate carcinoma
Nathan K Hoggard1, Said M Elshafae2, Nigel A Daniels3
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
Research in Veterinary Science
|November 27, 2025
Summary
Canine prostate carcinoma (cPC) differs from human PC, lacking precursor lesions and showing urothelial gene signatures. Many cPC cases may be urothelial carcinoma, impacting canine cancer classification.
Area of Science:
- Comparative Pathology
- Canine Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Dogs share prostate anatomy and pathology with humans, but canine prostate carcinoma (cPC) has unclear histogenesis.
- Human prostate cancer pathogenesis involves high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN), a lesion not previously identified in dogs.
- Understanding cPC origin is crucial for accurate diagnosis and translational research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the histogenesis and molecular origin of canine prostate carcinoma (cPC).
- To compare canine and human prostate carcinoma using histopathology and transcriptomics.
- To identify potential precursor lesions for cPC and assess its relationship with urothelial carcinoma.
Main Methods:
- Histopathological analysis of prostate glands from 445 dogs, including surveys for early carcinomas and preneoplastic lesions.
- RNA-sequencing to compare gene expression signatures between canine prostate carcinoma (cPC), canine urothelial carcinoma (UC), and non-neoplastic canine prostate tissue.
- Identification of lineage gene signatures for prostate luminal epithelium and urothelium for interspecies comparisons.
Main Results:
- High-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN)-like lesions were not observed in canine prostate samples.
- Early proliferative lesions and carcinomas were rare in the studied canine population (1.6%).
- Canine prostate carcinoma (cPC) exhibited significantly decreased prostate-specific and increased urothelial gene signatures compared to non-neoplastic prostate tissue, suggesting urothelial differentiation.
Conclusions:
- The histogenesis of canine prostate carcinoma (cPC) appears to differ from human prostate cancer, lacking typical precursor lesions.
- Many canine tumors diagnosed as prostate carcinoma may represent urothelial carcinoma or possess urothelial differentiation.
- These findings have significant implications for canine tumor classification and the utility of canine models in human prostate cancer translational studies.
