Expression of receptor tyrosine kinases VEGFR-1 (FLT-1), VEGFR-2 (KDR), EGFR-1, PDGFRa and c-Met in canine primary brain tumours |
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| Authors: | P. J. Dickinson B. N. Roberts R. J. Higgins C. M. Leutenegger A. W. Bollen P. H. Kass R. A. LeCouteur |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, Lucy Whittier Molecular and Diagnostic Core Facility, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Population Health and Reproduction (PHK), School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA |
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| Abstract: | Inhibition of tumour growth and angiogenesis by targeting key growth factor receptors is a promising therapeutic strategy for central nervous system tumours. Characterization of these growth factor receptors in canine primary brain tumours has not been done. Using quantitative real‐time TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we evaluated the expression of messenger RNA (mRNA) for five tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor [VEGFR]‐1, VEGFR‐2, endothelial growth factor receptor [EGFR]‐1, platelet‐derived growth factor receptor a [PDGFRa], and c‐Met) relative to normal cerebral cortex in 66 spontaneous canine primary brain tumours. Increased expression of VEGFR‐1 and VEGFR‐2 mRNA was greatest in grade IV astrocytomas (glioblastoma multiforme) and grade III (anaplastic) oligodendrogliomas. EGFR‐1 mRNA expression was more consistently increased than the other receptors in all tumour types, while increased PDGFRa mRNA expression was mostly restricted to oligodendrogliomas. The similarities in increased expression of these tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors in these canine tumours, as compared to data from their human counterparts, suggest that common molecular mechanisms may be present. |
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| Keywords: | canine primary brain tumour TaqMan PCR tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors |
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