Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How monocyte immune cells behave in dogs with bone cancer
By Tuohy, J L et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2016·Department of Population Health and Pathobiology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Association of Canine Osteosarcoma and Monocyte Phenotype and Chemotactic Function.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Eighteen dogs with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, were studied to understand how their immune system might be affected. The researchers found that these dogs had lower levels of certain immune cells called monocytes, which are important for fighting off disease. This decrease in monocyte function could help the cancer evade the dog's immune response. The study suggests that improving monocyte activity through immunotherapy might help these dogs live longer.
People also search for: dog osteosarcoma treatment · immune system in dogs with cancer · how to help my dog with bone cancer
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Monocytes/macrophages are likely key cells in immune modulation in dogs with osteosarcoma (OSA). Increased peripheral monocyte counts are negatively correlated with shorter disease-free intervals in dogs with OSA. Understanding the monocyte/macrophage's modulatory role in dogs with OSA can direct further studies in immunotherapy development for OSA. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: That OSA evades the immune response by down-regulating monocyte chemokine receptor expression and migratory function, and suppresses host immune responses. ANIMALS: Eighteen dogs with OSA that have not received definitive treatment and 14 healthy age-matched controls METHODS: Clinical study-expression of peripheral blood monocyte cell surface receptors, monocyte mRNA expression and cytokine secretion, monocyte chemotaxis, and survival were compared between clinical dogs with OSA and healthy control dogs. RESULTS: Cell surface expression of multiple chemokine receptors is significantly down-regulated in peripheral blood monocytes of dogs with OSA. The percentage expression of CCR2 (median 58%, range 2-94%) and CXCR2 expression (median 54%, range 2-92%) was higher in control dogs compared to dogs with OSA (CCR2 median 29%, range 3-45%, P = 0.0006; CXCR2 median 23%, range 0.2-52%, P = 0.0007). Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) (OSA, median 347.36 pg/mL, range 103.4-1268.5; control, 136.23 pg/mL, range 69.93-542.6, P = .04) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (P = .02) levels are increased in OSA monocyte culture supernatants compared to controls. Peripheral blood monocytes of dogs with OSA exhibit decreased chemotactic function when compared to control dogs (OSA, median 1.2 directed to random migration, range 0.8-1.25; control, 1.6, range of 0.9-1.8, P = .018). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Dogs with OSA have decreased monocyte chemokine receptor expression and monocyte chemotaxis, potential mechanisms by which OSA might evade the immune response. Reversal of monocyte dysfunction using immunotherapy could improve survival in dogs with OSA.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27338235/