Graduate student Chonnam National University Gwangju, Kwangju-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea
Abstract:
Background: Progranulin (PRGN) is a pluripotent growth factor that has shown promise as diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for various neoplastic conditions in human medicine.
Objective: To evaluate the applicability of serum PRGN as a biomarker in veterinary oncology, providing novel insights into the clinical management of canine tumors. Animals: The tumor group (n = 110) comprised dogs retrospectively selected where neoplastic diseases were the primary concern. For detailed analysis, the tumor group was categorized based on histopathological origin, malignancy, and metastatic status. The control group (n = 30) consisted of healthy dogs with no evidence of neoplastic diseases, confirmed through medical history, physical examination, blood tests, and imaging studies.
Methods: Circulating PRGN levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods.
Results: Dogs with tumors exhibited significantly elevated circulating PRGN levels compared to control dogs (p < 0.0001****), with a high sensitivity of 90.91%. Malignant and metastatic tumors demonstrated markedly higher PRGN levels relative to the control group (p=0.0012** and p< 0.0001****, respectively). Additionally, serum PRGN was identified as a significant marker for differentiating metastatic tumors from non-metastatic ones (p=0.0264*). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: This study underscores the potential of PRGN as a novel biomarker with considerable diagnostic and prognostic value in the evaluation of canine neoplastic diseases.
