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Hepatocyte Ploidy in Cats with and without Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Author(s) -
Post Jacqueline,
Langohr Ingeborg,
Liu Chin-Chi,
Mottram Peter,
Webster Cynthia R. L.,
Johnston Andrea
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.00736
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , hepatocyte , pathology , cats , ploidy , cancer , medicine , biology , gastroenterology , in vitro , genetics , gene
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer related death in humans, yet it is an uncommon neoplasm in the domestic cat. The difference in prevalence and etiology between these two species is unexplained. Recent work in mice has shown that hepatocyte polyploidy (> 2n) is protective against the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Further, human hepatocarcinogenesis is associated with a reduction in hepatocyte ploidy. Hepatocyte ploidy in the domestic cat has not been previously evaluated. Our research objective is to establish a baseline for hepatocellular chromosome number in normal cats and cats with HCC. We hypothesize that hepatocyte ploidy is significantly different in cats with or without HCC. Samples were selected from archival cases at both Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University (Tufts SVM) and Louisiana State University, Louisiana Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory (LSU LADDL). Seven confirmed feline HCC cases and seven age and sex matched normal control cases were selected following review by a veterinary anatomical pathologists (IL). Using Hoechst H33342, a nuclear stain that stoichiometrically binds to the minor groove of DNA, fluorescence intensity was measured to determine hepatocellular ploidy. Neoplastic, peri‐tumoral, and normal hepatocytes were analyzed. There was statistical differences between the distribution of intensities between normal to peri‐tumoral, normal to neoplastic, and neoplastic to peri‐tumoral hepatocytes (p<0.0001). In addition, there is a significant difference between the number of 2N vs. 4N cells in normal and peri‐tumoral (p<0.0001) and neoplastic (p<0.0001) cells, and peri‐tumoral to neoplastic (p=0.002). There is no statistical difference in the number of multinucleated cells between groups. Normal feline liver has a greater number of 4N cells than neoplastic samples. This difference may contribute to development or be a cellular response to HCC development. Support or Funding Information Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine Summer Scholars Program; Kenneth F. Burns Trust