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. 2020 Dec;18(4):494-501.
doi: 10.1111/vco.12569. Epub 2020 Feb 3.

Detection of Felis catus papillomavirus type-2 DNA and viral gene expression suggest active infection in feline oral squamous cell carcinoma

Gennaro Altamura  1 , Giusy Cardeti  2 , Antonella Cersini  2 , Claudia Eleni  2 , Cristiano Cocumelli  2 , Leticia Elisa Bartolomé Del Pino  2 , Elisabetta Razzuoli  3 , Manuela Martano  1 , Paola Maiolino  1 , Giuseppe Borzacchiello  1
Affiliations

Detection of Felis catus papillomavirus type-2 DNA and viral gene expression suggest active infection in feline oral squamous cell carcinoma

Gennaro Altamura et al. Vet Comp Oncol. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Papillomavirus (PV) infection is associated with development of epithelial cancer in different species, including domestic cat (Felis catus). Felis catus PV type-2 (FcaPV-2) is considered the causative agent of a proportion of feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), through the transforming properties of its E6 and E7 oncogenes. However, the possible role of FcaPVs in the aetiology of feline oral SCC (FOSCC) is still unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the presence and gene expression of FcaPV-2 in FOSCC samples. We detected FcaPV-2 DNA in 10/32 (31%) of the analysed FOSCC by the use of PCR methods. Importantly, viral mRNA was detected by RT-PCR in 7/10 (70%) of DNA positive samples. In particular, FcaPV-2 L1, E2 and E6E7 genes were found to be expressed in 5/10 (50%), 3/10 (33%) and 5/10 (50%) samples, respectively. Viral DNA was also detected in non neoplastic oral ulcerative lesions (ULs) (4/11, 36%); qPCR suggested a difference in viral load between ULs and FOSCCs, particularly in those expressing E6E7, although it was not statistically significant. These data suggest, but do not definively prove, a possible role of FcaPV-2 in the development of a proportion of FOSCC. Moreover, L1 and E2 gene expression results indicate that FcaPV-2 infection associated with these tumours may possibly be productive.

Keywords: cat; infection; mucosal; oncogenes; squamous cell carcinoma; viral tropism.

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References

REFERENCES

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