Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and Phenotypic Marker Evaluation in Human, Canine, and Feline Mammary Gland Tumors

Abstract

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal properties. EMT has been closely associated with cancer cell aggressiveness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mRNA and protein expression of EMT-associated markers in mammary tumors of humans (HBC), dogs (CMT), and cats (FMT). Real-time qPCR for SNAIL, TWIST, and ZEB, and immunohistochemistry for E-cadherin, vimentin, CD44, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), ERBB2, Ki-67, cytokeratin (CK) 8/18, CK5/6, and CK14 were performed. Overall, SNAIL, TWIST, and ZEB mRNA was lower in tumors than in healthy tissues. Vimentin was higher in triple-negative HBC (TNBC) and FMTs than in ER+ HBC and CMTs (p p p p p < 0.001). These results confirmed a potential role of some markers as indicators of EMT, and suggested similarities between ER+ HBC and CMTs, and between TNBC and FMTs.

Keywords

• E-cadherin
• epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
• mammary tumors
• <i>SNAIL</i>
• <i>TWIST</i>
• <i>ZEB</i>