MMP-9 IMMUNOEXPRESSION IN CANINE CUTANEOUS SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMAS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26873/SVR-2191-2026Keywords:
dog, immunohistochemistry, metalloproteinase-9, squamous cell carcinomaAbstract
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common type of skin cancer in humans and one of the most frequent in dogs. Interest in studying this tumor type in animals has grown significantly, largely due to its high mutational load. Among the biomarkers, metalloproteinases (MMPs) have stood out. MMPs are a family of calcium- and zinc-dependent proteases that degrade the extracellular matrix (ECM), with MMP-9, a gelatinase, among the most investigated. MMP-9 expression has been reported to be increased in several tumors. The main objective of this study was to evaluate MMP-9 immunostaining in canine SCC. A descriptive analysis of MMP-9 expression was performed, categorizing it in tumor cells as absent, weak, moderate, or strong. In the SCC cases studied, with respect to marking intensity, 27 tumors showed strong intensity (+++), 6 moderate intensity (++), and 4 weak intensity (+). In all degrees of differentiation, a strong staining intensity predominated. In addition, we found MMP-9 expression in the stroma and macrophages, suggesting its role in tumor progression and in modulating the tumor microenvironment. These findings highlight the potential of MMP-9 as a prognostic biomarker. Understanding its role in SCC could significantly improve our ability to predict disease progression in dogs, leading to more effective treatment strategies.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rita Files, Cláudia Cardoso, Gabriela Maia, Márcia Pinto, Maria Silva, Justina Prada, Filipe Silva, Isabel Pires
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