High lysyl oxidase expression is an indicator of poor prognosis in dogs with cutaneous mast cell tumours

• Published in: Veterinary & comparative oncology Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 401 - 405
• Main Authors: Joselevitch, Julia Antongiovanni, Vargas, Thiago Henrique Moroni, Pulz, Lidia Hildebrand, Cadrobbi, Karine Germano, Huete, Greice Cestari, Nishiya, Adriana Tomoko, Kleeb, Silvia Regina, Xavier, José Guilherme, Strefezzi, Ricardo De Francisco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2023
• Subjects: dogs; extracellular matrix; immunohistochemistry; lysyl oxidase; mastocytoma; prognosis; dogs; mastocytoma; immunohistochemistry; lysyl oxidase; prognosis; extracellular matrix
• ISSN: 1476-5810; 1476-5829
• DOI: 10.1111/vco.12898

Mast cell tumour (MCT) is one of the most frequent skin tumours in dogs. Due to their unpredictable biological behaviour, MCTs often cause several therapeutic frustrations, leading to investigation regarding prognostic markers. Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is an enzyme that promotes extracellular matrix stability and contributes to cell migration, angiogenesis and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition. Its expression positively correlates with poor prognoses in several human and canine mammary cancers. The aim of this study was to characterise the immunohistochemical expression of LOX in MCT samples and compare it with histological grading and post‐surgical survival. Twenty‐six tumours were submitted to immunohistochemistry for LOX expression evaluation. All samples were positive for LOX, with variable percentages of cytoplasmic and nuclear positivity. Cytoplasmic positivity was significantly higher in high‐grade MCTs (P = .0297). Our results indicate that high expression of cytoplasmic LOX in neoplastic mast cells is an indicator of poor prognosis for canine cutaneous MCTs.