Circulating concentrations of insulin like growth factor-1 in female dogs with spontane-ous mammary tumours

Abstract

SummaryThe aim of this study was the investigation of the circulating concentration of IGF-1 in female dogs with spontaneous mammary tumours. The study was performed on 34 female dogs undergoing surgery due to spontaneously occurring mammary gland tumours (24 malignant and 10 benign) and 10 clinically healthy female dogs. The serum concentrations of IGF-1 were determined by specific ELISA Kit assay. The mean concentrations of IGF-1 were significantly higher (P < 0.05) both in dogs with malignant (173.35 ± 120.45 ng/ml) and benign (130.58 ± 59.0 ng/ml) mammary tumours than in healthy controls (117.45 ± 71.0 ng/ml). In the group of female dogs with mammary carcinomas, the mean concentration of IGF-1 gradually increased from 132.85 ± 65.64 ng/ml in dogs with grade 1 tumours to 317.74 ± 119.25 ng/ml in those with grade 3 tumours, and significant differences (P < 0.05) were found among dogs with various grade tumours. These findings suggest that circulating IGF-1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of canine mammary tumour. Moreover, high IGF-1 levels may reflect tumour cell differentiation into a more aggressive phenotype.

Evaluation of circulating IGF-I and IGFBP-3 as biomarkers for tumors in dogs

“…Recently, circulating IGFs have also been studied in veterinary medicine. Several studies have shown that the serum IGF-I concentration in dogs with mammary gland tumors is higher than that in healthy dogs [ 9 21 ]. These results are consistent with the results of our study.…”

“…On the other hand, excessive IGF-I and IGF-II expression causes the cells to over-proliferate and interfere with apoptosis, inducing tumors [ 3 ]. In veterinary medicine, studies on IGF-I have also been reported in relation to tumors, but there is a significant difference in the methodology for measuring the concentration, which may be unreliable [ 4 5 6 7 8 9 ]. In addition, in the case of IGF-II, there are only a few reports on veterinary research [ 10 11 ].…”

“…Until recently, various serological markers have been studied in healthy dogs and those with cancers [ 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ]. The present study evaluated the circulating IGFs and IGFBP-3 in dogs to identify the diagnostic utility between dogs with tumors and dogs without tumors.…”