Histopathological and immunohistochemical prognostication of Canine Oral Malignant Melanoma based on in silico determination of immune cells infiltration

Abstract

Canine oral melanoma stands as the predominant neoplasm within the oral cavity of dogs. Definitive diagnosis is achieved through histopathological examination, often necessitating the application of immunohistochemical markers such as Melan-A and PNL2. Surgical resection is the recommended treatment for this tumor, although alternative therapeutic modalities may also be considered. Presently, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach in melanomas, given their immunogenic capacity. Additionally, a significant correlation, in both canine and human cases, has been demonstrated between the immune context within the tumor microenvironment and clinical factors such as survival time, recurrence, and metastasis.Consequently, the scientific community has advocated for the establishment of morphological/immunohistochemical criteria to classify and measure this immune status, currently termed as immunoscore. This project aims to identify the main Tumor-infiltrating immune cells in canine oral malignant melanoma through an in silico analysis of public transcriptome data from these tumors. The goal is to develop an immunoscore and evaluate the in vitro effects of these cells on tumor viability and migration. (AU)