title: COX-2 over-expression correlates with VEGF and tumour angiogenesis in canine mammary cancer.
abstract: This study was designed to investigate the possible roles of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in canine mammary cancer angiogenesis. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 70 tumours (28 benign and 42 malignant) in order to detect COX-2 and VEGF expression. Microvessel density (MVD) was determined by CD31 immunolabelling to assess tumour angiogenesis. There was a significantly higher expression of COX-2 (P<0.001), VEGF (P<0.001) and MVD (P<0.001) in malignant compared to benign tumours. In the malignant group, the MVD of COX-2 positive tumours was significantly higher than that of COX-2 negative tumours (P=0.026). A similar association was observed for VEGF (P<0.001) positive tumours. The results from this study suggested that over-expression of COX-2 and VEGF may contribute to increased angiogenesis and aggression in malignant tumours.
authors.affiliation: CECAV, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal. fqueirog@utad.pt
authors.forename: Felisbina L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Queiroga
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parente
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gregório
authors.forename: Carlos S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2