Publications by authors named "Barbara Brunetti"

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is overexpressed in many human and animal cancers. Selective COX-2 inhibitors have shown antitumoral effects in tumors with a high expression of COX-2. This study evaluates (1) the expression of COX-2 in rabbit uterine adenocarcinomas, (2) the correlation between immunophenotypic expression and histopathological changes, and (3) the post-surgery response to therapy with COX-2 inhibitors.

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  • The study utilized Rapid Evaporative Ionization Mass Spectrometry (REIMS) along with chemometric analysis to differentiate between benign and malignant canine mammary tumors (CMTs), achieving high accuracy in tumor identification.
  • Results indicated a significant increase in phospholipid synthesis in malignant tumors compared to normal mammary tissues, highlighting specific phospholipid species as key indicators of carcinogenesis.
  • The research also uncovered a link between cancer and inflammation through the dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism, suggesting that understanding these metabolic changes could enhance diagnostic and treatment strategies for tumors.
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The significance of food nutrients and bioactive compounds in human health has driven the development of many methods for their determination in different matrices. Among these, electroanalysis has gained popularity due to its cost-effectiveness, rapidity, and, in many cases, portability and minimal sample treatment. This review highlights key advances in electrochemical sensors and biosensors from 2019 to the present.

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  • The rice-blast fungus is a big problem for rice farming all over the world.
  • Scientists found that a type of cell death called ferroptosis plays a role in how the fungus interacts with plants.
  • They discovered that certain compounds can stop the fungus from forming structures needed to infect rice, and adding iron can help restore this process.
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Recently, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) has emerged as a therapeutic target of interest for non-small-cell lung cancer in humans. The role of HER2 in canine pulmonary adenocarcinomas is poorly documented. To address this gap, this study employed three methodologies: immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and next-generation sequencing (NGS) to investigate the protein expression, gene amplification, and mutation of HER2 in 19 canine primary pulmonary adenocarcinomas.

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Hepatic glycogen storage diseases constitute a group of disorders due to defects in the enzymes and transporters involved in glycogen breakdown and synthesis in the liver. Although hypoglycemia and hepatomegaly are the primary manifestations of (most of) hepatic GSDs, involvement of the endocrine system has been reported at multiple levels in individuals with hepatic GSDs. While some endocrine abnormalities (e.

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A cytological grading system for canine mast cell tumors (MCTs) has been developed, but its integration into clinical routine has been hindered due to its diagnostic limitations. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of Ki-67 and argyrophilic nucleolar organizing region (AgNOR) markers in cytological MCT samples and to determine cut-off values for these markers in correlation with histopathological grading. Cytological samples were collected prior to surgical excision, and histopathological samples were obtained postsurgery from 45 dogs diagnosed with cutaneous mast cell tumors (MCTs).

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Canine splenic hemangiosarcoma has a high metastatic rate and short survival time. Currently, the main prognostic parameters are tumor stage and therapy, while data on histologic parameters, such as grade and Ki-67 expression, are scarce. The aims of this study were to compare two methods of assessment of Ki-67, verify their prognostic impact, and define a threshold value based on survival.

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This study evaluated the gene expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in canine mammary tumors (CMTs), and correlated them with gene expression of miRNAs expected to regulate the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Furthermore, gene expression of cytokines and miRNAs involved in tumor cell proliferation and invasion (i.e.

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The expression of miRNAs is one of the main epigenetic mechanisms responsible for the regulation of gene expression in mammals, and in cancer, miRNAs participate by regulating the expression of protein-coding cancer-associated genes. In canine mammary tumors (CMTs), the gene encodes for ERα, and represents a major target gene for miR-18a and miR-18b, previously found to be overexpressed in mammary carcinomas. A loss in ERα expression in CMTs is commonly associated with poor prognosis, and it is noteworthy that the downregulation of the would appear to be more epigenetic than genetic in nature.

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In human medicine, p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a common method that is used for the identification of tumors with mutations. In veterinary medicine, several studies have performed IHC for p53 in canine tumors, but it is not known how well it actually predicts the mutation. The aim of this study was to estimate the accuracy of the IHC method for p53 (clone PAb240) using a lab-developed NGS panel to analyze mutations in a subset of malignant tumors in dogs.

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MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can act as oncogenes or oncosuppressor genes, and their involvement in nearly all cancer-associated processes makes these small molecules promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cancer, as well as specific targets for cancer therapy. This study aimed to investigate the expression of 7 miRNAs (miR-18a, miR-18b, miR-22, miR-124, miR-145, miR-21, miR-146b) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded canine mammary tumors (CMTs) by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Twenty-six mammary samples were selected, including 22 CMTs (7 benign; 15 malignant) and 4 control samples (3 normal mammary gland and 1 case of lobular hyperplasia).

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Despite the important role of preclinical experiments to characterize tumor biology and molecular pathways, there are ongoing challenges to model the tumor microenvironment, specifically the dynamic interactions between tumor cells and immune infiltrates. Comprehensive models of host-tumor immune interactions will enhance the development of emerging treatment strategies, such as immunotherapies. Although in vitro and murine models are important for the early modelling of cancer and treatment-response mechanisms, comparative research studies involving veterinary oncology may bridge the translational pathway to human studies.

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Sarcoids are among the most common tumors diagnosed in equids; their association with bovine papillomaviruses (BPV) infection has been widely reported, but the mechanism of carcinogenesis has not been fully elucidated. To verify whether BPV infection causes dysregulation of the pRb-Cyclin D1-p16-p53 pathway as reported for human papillomavirus (HPV), the study employed immunohistochemistry to test 55 equine sarcoid biopsies for the expression of pRb, Cyclin D1, and p53 cell cycle regulatory proteins and to evaluate the proliferative rate through Ki67. High Cyclin D1 and pRb expression were observed in 51% and 80% of cases, respectively, while low expression was observed in 49% and 20% of cases, respectively.

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Histological diagnosis of Canine Mammary Tumours (CMTs) provides the basis for proper treatment and follow-up. Nowadays, its accuracy is poorly understood and variable interpretation of histological criteria leads to a lack of standardisation and impossibility to compare studies. This study aimed to quantify the reproducibility of histological diagnosis and grading in CMTs.

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Benign mammary lesions are infrequent in cats. Among these, the most common is feline fibroadenomatous change, a hyperplastic/dysplastic change associated with hormonal imbalances. Although never thoroughly described in scientific literature, feline fibroadenomas, which share some morphological features with fibroadenomatous change, have been variably included in classification systems.

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Carcinoma in situ of the breast is a well-known entity in humans. In veterinary medicine, particularly in canine and feline mammary literature, there is no agreement whether the term in situ should be used to indicate a specific carcinoma histotype or the noninvasive status of a carcinoma of any histotype. Moreover, in the most recent histologic classification of mammary tumors published by the Davis-Thompson Foundation, it is suggested to abandon the term carcinoma in situ given the lack of standardized criteria defining this entity, replacing it with epitheliosis or ductal/lobular hyperplasia with severe atypia.

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Article Synopsis
  • Recent research found MMTV-like nucleotide sequences in some mammary tumors in cats, prompting a study to analyze feline mammary carcinomas (FMCs) for these sequences.
  • Out of 24 FMC samples analyzed, 3 (12.5%) tested positive for MMTV-like sequences and protein, with a high similarity to MMTV.
  • The findings suggest varying molecular phenotypes among the positive FMCs, indicating potential implications for understanding the MMTV-like virus's role in feline tumor biology.
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  • A 12-year-old female cat was examined for lower urinary tract issues, showing signs like a painful bladder and thickened urethra.
  • Endoscopic investigation revealed a growth with abnormal projections, which was largely removed, and biopsies indicated it was an inverted urothelial papilloma with low cellular atypia.
  • A year later, the cat was symptom-free and ultrasounds showed a normal bladder, marking this as the first documented case of inverted urothelial papilloma in cats and noting its significance in differentiating from other urinary tumors.
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Idiopathic pericarditis (IP) and pericardial mesothelioma (PM) are causes of pericardial effusion in dogs. Pericardiectomy can be a definitive treatment in the case of idiopathic pericardial effusion or a short-term intervention for mesothelioma. The aim of the present study was to investigate which histopathologic parameters are correlated with clinical outcomes in a cohort of dogs that underwent pericardiectomy.

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Case Summary: A 5-year-old neutered female domestic shorthair cat was referred for acute onset of dyspnoea. Thoracic radiographs performed by the referring veterinarian revealed the presence of pleural effusion. Upon presentation, the cat was dyspnoeic, and cardiopulmonary auscultation revealed muffled heart sounds and bilaterally increased bronchovesicular sounds.

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Sarcoids are the most common cutaneous tumor of equids and are caused by bovine papillomavirus (BPV). Different clinical subtypes of sarcoids are well characterized clinically but not histologically, and it is not known whether viral activity influences the clinical or histological appearance of the tumors. The aim of this study was to verify whether the development of different clinical types of sarcoids or the presence of certain histological features were associated with BPV distribution within the tumor.

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Staphylococcus aureus infection led to a case of goat abortion, and four veterinarians contracted S. aureus infection from the goat during and after the abortion. Three veterinarians assisted a doe during the dystocic delivery of a dead foetus.

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HER2 overexpression has been reported in various human and canine tumours. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of HER2 protein in different histotypes of canine carcinomas in order to identify potential tumours that could benefit from the HER2-targeted therapy. Eighty-two (82) canine carcinomas (squamous cell, gastro-intestinal, rectal, pulmonary, prostatic, urothelial, and ovarian) from paraffin-embedded samp les were immunohistochemically evaluated.

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