Expression and prognostic significance of CTLA-4 in canine mammary tumors

Abstract

The present study investigated the expression pattern and prognostic significance of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) in spontaneous canine mammary gland tumors (CMGTs) using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). A total of 50 CMGT samples, comprising both benign and malignant forms, were analyzed to assess the relationship between CTLA-4 expression and tumor behavior. Immunohistochemical evaluation revealed variable CTLA-4 immunopositivity among tumor subtypes, with notably higher expression in aggressive variants such as carcinosarcoma and comedocarcinoma. qPCR analysis further confirmed a significant upregulation of CTLA-4 mRNA in malignant tumors compared to benign counterparts (p