Telomere length in normal and neoplastic canine tissues.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the mean telomere restriction fragment (TRF) length in normal and neoplastic canine tissues.


METHODS
57 solid-tissue tumor specimens collected from client-owned dogs, 40 samples of normal tissue collected from 12 clinically normal dogs, and blood samples collected from 4 healthy blood donor dogs.


METHODS
Tumor specimens were collected from client-owned dogs during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures at the University of Illinois Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, whereas 40 normal tissue samples were collected from 12 control dogs. Telomere restriction fragment length was determined by use of an assay kit. A histologic diagnosis was provided for each tumor by personnel at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Illinois.


RESULTS
Mean of the mean TRF length for 44 normal samples was 19.0 kilobases (kb; range, 15.4 to 21.4 kb), and the mean of the mean TRF length for 57 malignant tumors was 19.0 kb (range, 12.9 to 23.5 kb). Although the mean of the mean TRF length for tumors and normal tissues was identical, tumor samples had more variability in TRF length.


CONCLUSIONS
Telomerase, which represents the main mechanism by which cancer cells achieve immortality, is an attractive therapeutic target. The ability to measure telomere length is crucial to monitoring the efficacy of telomerase inhibition. In contrast to many other mammalian species, the length of canine telomeres and the rate of telomeric DNA loss are similar to those reported in humans, making dogs a compelling choice for use in the study of human anti-telomerase strategies.
Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802, USA.
Casey D
CD
Cadile
Barbara E
BE
Kitchell
Rebecca G
RG
Newman
Barbara J
BJ
Biller
Elizabeth R
ER
Hetler
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics*
D019098:Telomerase