Influence of canine distemper virus on mesenchymal to epithelial transition in canine histiocytic sarcoma cells

Introduction Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a highly invasive and metastatic neoplasm with a limited response to different therapies. A promising new approach might be oncolytic virotherapy. Recently, it has been emerged that mesenchymal tumors that undergo mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) often display a more favorable clinical outcome. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of a canine distemper virus (CDV) infection on MET of canine HS cells.

Materials and methods Non-infected and persistently CDV-(strain Onderstepoort) infected canine HS cells (DH82 cells) were comparatively investigated in vitro. The expression of both epithelial and mesenchymal markers were assessed on a molecular and protein level using microarray data and immunofluorescence, respectively. Furthermore, functional effects were analyzed using scratch assays.

Results Persistently CDV-infected DH82 cells displayed an increased expression of epithelial markers on the molecular and protein level compared to non-infected controls. Interestingly, infected cells also displayed a decreased motility as demonstrated by a scratch wound assay.

Conclusion These results indicate that a persistent CDV-infection seems to trigger a MET of canine HS cells resulting in a decreased motility.

Publication History

Article published online:
08 July 2020