title: High COX-2 expression is associated with increased angiogenesis, proliferation and tumoural inflammatory infiltrate in canine malignant mammary tumours: a multivariate survival study.
abstract: COX-2 expression affects mammary tumourigenesis by promoting angiogenesis and cell proliferation, encouraging metastatic spread and tumour-associated inflammation. Samples of canine mammary tumours (n = 109) were submitted to immunohistochemistry to detect COX-2, CD31, VEGF, Ki-67, CD3 and MAC387 expression. Concurrent high expression of COX-2/CD31, COX-2/VEGF, COX-2/Ki-67, COX-2/CD3 and COX-2/MAC was associated with elevated grade of malignancy, presence of intravascular emboli and presence of lymph node metastasis. Tumours with high COX-2 (P < 0.001) and tumours with concurrent expression of high COX-2 and high CD31 (P = 0.008); high VEGF (P < 0.001); high Ki-67 (P < 0.001); high CD3+ T-lymphocytes (P = 0.002) and elevated MAC387 macrophages (P = 0.024) were associated with shorter overall survival (OS) time. Interestingly the groups with high COX-2/CD31 and high COX-2/VEGF retained their significance after multivariate analysis arising as independent predictors of OS. Present data highlight the importance of COX-2 in canine mammary tumourigenesis.
authors.affiliation: CECAV, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.|Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: CECAV, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.|Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.affiliation: CECAV, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.|Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prada
authors.affiliation: CECAV, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.|Center for the Study of Animal Sciences, CECA-ICETA, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Raposo
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.|Centro Hospitalar Veterinário, Rua Manuel Pinto de Azevedo, 118, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gregório
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Animal Sciences, CECA-ICETA, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.|Hospital Veterinário do Porto, Travessa de Silva Porto, 174, Porto, Portugal.|Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.|Center for the Study of Animal Sciences, CECA-ICETA, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.|Center for Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Queiroga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000662:veterinary; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2
keywords: COX-2; angiogenesis; canine mammary tumours; prognosis; proliferation; tumour inflammatory infiltrate