CD44+/CD24- Cancer Stem Cells Are Associated With Higher Grade of Canine Mammary Carcinomas

Vet Pathol. 2015 Nov;52(6):1041-4. doi: 10.1177/0300985815593121. Epub 2015 Jul 14.

Abstract

The CD44+/CD24- phenotype identifies cancer stem cell (CSC) properties in canine mammary carcinoma (MC); however, the histopathological features associated with this phenotype remain to be elucidated. Here, we determined whether the CD44+/CD24- phenotype was associated with hormonal receptor (HR; estrogen receptor [ER] and/or progesterone receptor [PR]) status and/or triple (ER, PR, and human epithelial growth factor receptor 2)-negative (TN) subtype; conventional histological evaluation was also performed. We found that, as single markers, both CD44+ and CD24+ were associated with less aggressive histological types, low grade, and a non-TN subtype; both markers were associated with HR positivity. On the other hand, a CD44+/CD24- phenotype was associated with higher grade of carcinoma. Therefore, our results suggest that immunohistochemical phenotyping for CD44/CD24 is useful for the evaluation of tumor behavior as well as CSC-like properties in canine MCs.

Keywords: CD24; CD44; cancer stem cell; canine mammary carcinoma; immunohistochemistry.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / veterinary*
  • CD24 Antigen / metabolism
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / metabolism
  • Immunohistochemistry / veterinary
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / pathology*
  • Neoplasm Grading
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism
  • Receptors, Progesterone / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • CD24 Antigen
  • Hyaluronan Receptors
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Receptors, Progesterone