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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) plays an essential role in tumor-associated
angiogenesis, exerting its biological activity by binding and activating membrane receptors, as vascular
endothelial growth factor receptor 1 and 2 (VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2). In this study, serum VEGF-A, VEGFR1, and VEGFR-2 levels were quantified in 50 cats with mammary carcinoma and 14 healthy controls.
The expression of these molecules in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and in cancer cells was
evaluated and compared with its serum levels. Results obtained showed that serum VEGF-A levels were
significantly higher in cats with HER2-positive and Triple Negative (TN) Normal-Like subtypes, when
compared to control group (p = 0.001, p = 0.020). Additionally, serum VEGFR-1 levels were significantly
elevated in cats presenting luminal A, HER2-positive and TN Normal-Like tumors (p = 0.011, p = 0.048,
p = 0.006), as serum VEGFR-2 levels (p = 0.010, p = 0.046, p = 0.005). Moreover, a positive interaction
was found between the expression of VEGF-A, VEGFR-1, and VEGFR-2 in TILs and their serum levels
(p = 0.002, p = 0.003, p = 0.003). In summary, these findings point to the usefulness of VEGF-A and
its serum receptors assessment in clinical evaluation of cats with HER2-positive and TN Normal-Like
tumors, suggesting that targeted therapies against these molecules may be effective for the treatment of
these animals, as described in human breast cancer.
Description
Research Areas: Oncology
Keywords
Feline mammary carcinoma VEGF-A VEGFR-1 VEGFR-2 Non-invasive biomarkers Angiogenesis
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Nascimento C, Gameiro A, Ferreira J, Correia J, Ferreira F. 2021. Diagnostic value of VEGF-A, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 in feline mammary carcinoma. Cancers, 13(1):117. Doi: 10.3390/cancers13010117
Publisher
MDPI