Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How inflammation and cell death affect canine transmissible venereal
By Bolat, İsmail et al.·Published in Tissue & cell·2026·Department of Pathology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Activation of TLR4/NF-κB/TNF-α pathway in inflammation and apoptosis during stable and progressive phases of canine transmissible venereal tumors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with a transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT) was studied to understand how the tumor behaves during different phases of growth. In the progressive phase, the tumor grows rapidly, while in the stable phase, it stops growing but remains unchanged. Researchers found that during the stable phase, the dog's immune response was more active, which might help keep the tumor from growing. This suggests that inflammation and certain immune signals play a role in stabilizing the tumor. Understanding these phases can help veterinarians manage CTVT more effectively.
People also search for: dog transmissible venereal tumor treatment · CTVT stable phase symptoms · canine tumor immune response
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumor (CTVT) is a clonally transmissible, low-grade malignant round-cell tumor that affects dogs of all ages and breeds. Although malignant due to its invasive potential and occasional metastasis, it differs from classical malignancies by its unique ability to undergo spontaneous regression, leading some authors to describe it as benign-like. CTVT progresses through progressive (P), stable (S), and regressive (R) phases. The P phase is characterized by rapid tumor proliferation, while the S phase shows arrested growth and unchanged lesions. Despite numerous studies, the molecular mechanisms underlying these transitions remain incompletely understood. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the role of the TLR4/NF-κB/TNF-α signaling pathway in the P and S phases of CTVT. METHODOLOGY: Tumor samples from 12 CTVT-positive dogs were classified into P and S phases (n = 6 each) based on histopathology. Expression of TLR4, NF-κB, TNF-α, CD4, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, Bcl-2, BAX, and Caspase-3 was assessed using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: All parameters examined (except Bcl-2) were found to increase statistically significantly (p < 0.0001) in the S phase compared to the P phase. Bcl-2 expression was found to be significantly higher in the P phase compared to the S phase (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, the TLR4/NF-κB/TNF-α pathway showed stronger activation in the S phase compared to the P phase. This was associated with enhanced inflammation and apoptosis, as reflected by higher expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and apoptotic markers. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that during the S phase of CTVT, the immune response is more actively mediated by the TLR4/NF-κB/TNF-α pathway compared to the P phase. These results provide insights into the immunopathogenesis of CTVT and highlight the potential role of inflammatory and apoptotic signaling in tumor stabilization.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41138358/