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Alveolar stem cells in canine bronchial carcinogenesis
A A Ten Have-Opbroek1, J R Benfield, W G Hammond
1Department of Pneumology, Leiden University, The Netherlands. have@rullf2.leidenuniv.nl
Cancer Letters
|March 29, 1996
Summary
Alveolar type II cells appear in canine bronchial lesions after carcinogen exposure, acting as stem cells. This suggests an oncofetal mechanism drives canine bronchial carcinogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Normal canine segmental bronchi lack alveolar type II cells.
- Alveolar type II cells are typically found in lung alveoli, not airways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and role of alveolar type II cells in canine bronchial carcinogenesis.
- To explore the differentiation potential of these cells in response to carcinogen exposure.
Main Methods:
- Histopathological examination of canine segmental bronchi.
- Immunohistochemistry using proliferation markers (PCNA and Ki-67).
Main Results:
- Alveolar type II cells were identified in intra-epithelial and invasive lesions of carcinogen-exposed canine bronchi.
- These cells exhibited varying degrees of atypia and glandular growth patterns.
- High expression of proliferation markers (PCNA, Ki-67) indicated these cells are actively dividing stem cells.
Conclusions:
- Novel alveolar type II cells in canine bronchial lesions are likely pluripotential stem cells.
- Canine bronchial carcinogenesis may involve an oncofetal differentiation mechanism.
- This mechanism includes bronchial epithelial retrodifferentiation and subsequent alveolar stem cell differentiation.