SUMMARY
Compared to humans, dogs are more prone to develop mast cell neoplasia. Therefore, canine mast cell tumours (MCTs) might offer valuable potential as a cancer model. The reverse is also true as findings in human mast cell disorders might provide a basis for novel research in dogs with MCTs. Serum tryptase for example, serves as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in humans with mastocytosis but was never investigated in canine MCTs. In the first study, serum tryptase was therefore analysed in dogs. Like human cutaneous mastocytosis, serum tryptase was not elevated in dogs with cutaneous MCTs. Secondly, the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzymes are known therapeutic targets in human oncology but their expression in human mast cell neoplasms remains unknown. In the second study, the PARP-1 expression was examined in canine MCTs by use of an anti-PARP-1 antibody. A significant (p=0.001) nuclear overexpression of PARP-1 was measured in cutaneous MCTs compared to healthy tissues. Based on our study, it seems relevant to assess human mast cell neoplasms for PARP expression and compare human and canine MCTs for their similarities. Since canine MCTs are common in dogs, they could provide a translational model for studying this tumour type in humans. Furthermore, for very rare and aggressive human subtypes such as mast cell sarcoma, canine MCTs might prove their value for future comparative oncology research.
(BELG J HEMATOL 2025;16(2):78–80)
