title: Infiltrating Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and histopathological features in canine classical and spermatocytic seminomas.
abstract: In humans, regulatory T (T reg) cells are known to play a critical role in both the regulation of immune homoeostasis and the progression of cancer. However, there is little information about the identification, characterization and the function of T reg cells in canine tumours. We identified T reg cells in 28 canine seminoma samples using a Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) antibody and investigated the relationship between T reg cell infiltration and histopathological features of classical and spermatocytic seminomas (SE and SS, respectively). The Foxp3 protein showed nuclear immunostaining in infiltrating lymphocytes, and Foxp3+ cells were diffused or focally distributed in seminoma tissues. Foxp3+ cells were frequently present in the SS histotype, in seminomas that showed no evidence of tumour cell invasion into the vessels and in seminomas showing a diffuse growth pattern with three cell types. Neither the SE/SS histotype nor the histopathological features of the tumour correlated with Foxp3+ cell counts. These results indicate that Foxp3+ T reg cells may be associated with a less malignant histological phenotype or may not play a critical role in the immune response of canine seminomas. Moreover, Foxp3+ T reg cells may be associated with SS seminoma, but further studies, involving a larger number of samples, are required to better understand whether these cells play a critical role in the immune response in canine seminomas. This is the first report to demonstrate the characteristics of T reg cell infiltration in canine seminoma.
authors: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Small Animal Tumour Diagnostic Centre, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Kim
authors: S K
authors: SK
authors: Chon
authors: K S
authors: KS
authors: Im
authors: N H
authors: NH
authors: Kim
authors: K W
authors: KW
authors: Cho
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Sur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D018239:Seminoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors