Metastasis prognostic factors and cancer stem cell-related transcription factors associated with metastasis induction in canine metastatic mammary gland tumors.

Background: Canine mammary gland tumor (MGT) is the most common cancer in aged female dogs. Although it's important to identify reliable metastasis or prognostic factors by evaluating related to cell division, adhesion, and cancer stem cell-related transcription factor (TF) in metastasis-induced canine MGT, but there are limited studies.

Objectives: We aimed to identify metastasis prognostic factors and cancer stem cell-TFs in canine MGTs.

Methods: Age-matched female dogs diagnosed with MGT only were classified into metastatic and non-metastatic groups by histopathological staining of MGT tissues. The mRNA levels of cancer prognostic metastasis molecular factors (, , , , , and ) and cancer stem cell-related TFs (, , and ) were compared between metastatic and non-metastatic canine MGT tissues using qRT-PCR analysis.

Results: The mRNA levels of , , , , , , and in metastatic MGT group were significantly higher than those in non-metastatic MGT group. However, mRNA level of was significantly lower in metastatic MGT group. Loss of and was observed in the metastatic MGT group but it was not significant.

Conclusions: Consistent expression patterns of all metastasis-related factors showing elevation in , , , , , , and , but decreases in levels occurred in canine MGT tissues, which was associated with metastasis. Thus, these cancer prognostic metastasis factors and TFs of cancer stem cells, except for and , can be used as reliable metastasis factors for canine MGT and therapeutic strategy.