title: Circulating Cell-Free DNA in Dogs with Mammary Tumors: Short and Long Fragments and Integrity Index.
abstract: Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been considered an interesting diagnostic/prognostic plasma biomarker in tumor-bearing subjects. In cancer patients, cfDNA can hypothetically derive from tumor necrosis/apoptosis, lysed circulating cells, and some yet unrevealed mechanisms of active release. This study aimed to preliminarily analyze cfDNA in dogs with canine mammary tumors (CMTs). Forty-four neoplastic, 17 non-neoplastic disease-bearing, and 15 healthy dogs were recruited. Necrosis and apoptosis were also assessed as potential source of cfDNA on 78 CMTs diagnosed from the 44 dogs. The cfDNA fragments and integrity index significantly differentiated neoplastic versus non-neoplastic dogs (P<0.05), and allowed the distinction between benign and malignant lesions (P<0.05). Even if without statistical significance, the amount of cfDNA was also affected by tumor necrosis and correlated with tumor size and apoptotic markers expression. A significant (P<0.01) increase of Bcl-2 in malignant tumors was observed, and in metastatic CMTs the evasion of apoptosis was also suggested. This study, therefore, provides evidence that cfDNA could be a diagnostic marker in dogs carrying mammary nodules suggesting that its potential application in early diagnostic procedures should be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beffagna
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sammarco
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.|Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica - Città della Speranza, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bedin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romualdi
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mainenti
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine, Productions and Health, University of Padua, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mollo
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cavicchioli
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trez
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Maria
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nitti
authors.affiliation: EuroClone, Pero, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saccani
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom.|UCL Consortium for Mitochondrial Research, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michelangelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.|Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica - Città della Speranza, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zappulli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2