title: Expression of Stat3 in feline mammary gland tumours and its relation to histological grade.
abstract: The expression of Stat3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) in normal and neoplastic feline mammary gland tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 72 cats. The samples included 3 normal nonlactating mammary tissues, 17 hyperplastic lesions (11 lobular and 6 fibroepithelial) and 52 neoplasms (5 benign and 47 malignant). For immunohistochemistry, tissue sections were incubated with anti-Stat3 monoclonal antibody and visualized with EnVision-DAB polymer. Stat3 positivity was assessed in a semiquantitative manner. Normal mammary tissue showed occasional cytoplasmic and nuclear positivity, although the number of positive cells was lower than in the hyperplastic specimens. In neoplastic tissue, high numbers of neoplastic cells with a moderate to intense cytoplasmic and nuclear positivity were observed. Selected variations in the staining pattern correlated with malignancy. Moreover, a positive association was seen between the histological grade and the Stat3 score (p < 0.0001; correlation coefficient 0.750). A linear regression model showed a positive association between mitotic count and Stat3 expression (p < 0.001). These results further support published data found in humans regarding to the relation between the expression of Stat3 and malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Comparative Pathology and Veterinary Hygiene School of Veterinary Medicine, AGRIPOLIS, Legnaro, University of Padua, Italy. claudio.petterino@unipd.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petterino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ratto
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arcicasa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Podestà
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drigo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D016014:Linear Models; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008940:Mitotic Index; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000662:veterinary; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor