Equus Caballus Papillomavirus Type 7 is A Rare Cause Of Equine Penile Squamous Cell Carcinomas.
Abstract: Penile squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are common, potentially life-threatening neoplasms of horses. They are well-recognized to be caused by Equus caballus papillomavirus (EcPV) type 2, although EcPV2 cannot be detected in all cases. A 23-year-old standardbred gelding developed multiple penile in situ and invasive SCCs that contained histological evidence of PV infection. By using both consensus and specific PCR primers, these lesions were found to contain EcPV7 DNA, but not DNA from EcPV2 or any other PV type. To determine how frequently EcPV7 is present in equine penile SCCs, specific primers were used to detect EcPV2 and EcPV7 in a series of 20 archived samples. EcPV7 was the only PV detected in one, both EcPV2 and 7 were detected in 5, and only EcPV2 was detected in 14 SCCs. EcPV7 DNA was also detected in three of 10 archived oropharyngeal SCCs, although only as a co- infection with EcPV2. This is the first report of EcPV7 causing disease in horses. These results suggest EcPV7 could cause a subset of equine penile SCCs, and this is the first evidence that PV types other than EcPV2 can cause these neoplasms. The detection of EcPV7 in the oropharyngeal SCCs suggests a potential role of this PV type in the development of these SCCs. There were no clinical or histological features that differentiated lesions containing EcPV7 DNA from those containing EcPV2 DNA. If EcPV7 causes a proportion of equine penile SCCs, vaccines to prevent EcPV2 infection may not prevent all equine penile SCCs.
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2024-06-03 PubMed ID: 38838769DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106155Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research article investigates the role of Equus caballus papillomavirus type 7 (EcPV7) in the occurrence of penile squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) in horses, a type of cancer traditionally associated with EcPV type 2 (EcPV2). The findings suggest that EcPV7 can also cause these cancers, and its occurrence in oropharyngeal SCCs also indicates a possible contribution in such conditions too.
Research Background
- The research was driven by the prevalence of penile squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) in horses, often fatal forms of cancer.
- Traditionally, these cancers have been linked with the Equus caballus papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV2), but it was noticed that this type of papillomavirus was not present in all cancer cases.
Study Design and Procedure
- The researchers examined multiple penile SCCs from a 23-year-old standardbred gelding horse that showed histological evidence of papillomavirus (PV) infection.
- Using consensus and specific PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) primers, the researchers identified the presence of EcPV7 DNA, but not EcPV2, or any other PV type in the lesions.
- A series of 20 archived samples of penile SCCs were then tested with specific primers to understand the frequency of EcPV7 versus EcPV2 prevalence.
Key Findings
- The study identified that EcPV7 was the only type of PV detected in one of the samples. Both EcPV2 and EcPV7 were found in 5 samples, while only EcPV2 was detected in the remaining 14 samples of penile SCCs.
- EcPV7 DNA was also present in 3 out of 10 archived oropharyngeal SCCs, but always as a co-infection with EcPV2.
- The lesions with EcPV7 DNA did not show any clinical or histological characteristics that differentiated them from those containing EcPV2 DNA.
Implications of the Study
- This study is the first to report the presence of EcPV7 in equine diseases, providing evidence that papillomavirus types other than EcPV2 can cause penile SCCs in horses.
- The research suggests that EcPV7 may cause a subset of these cancers, and implies a potential role for this PV type in oropharyngeal SCCs too.
- These findings suggest that vaccines preventing EcPV2 infections might not be sufficient to prevent all equine penile SCCs due to the potential involvement of EcPV7 in inducing such cancers.
Cite This Article
APA
Munday JS, Knight CG, Bodaan CJ, Codaccioni C, Hardcastle MR.
(2024).
Equus Caballus Papillomavirus Type 7 is A Rare Cause Of Equine Penile Squamous Cell Carcinomas.
Vet J, 106155.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106155 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Electronic address: j.munday@massey.ac.nz.
- University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
- Veterinary Associates Equine LP, Karaka, New Zealand.
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
- Awanui Veterinary Ltd., Auckland. New Zealand.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors of this paper has a financial or personal relationship with other people or organisations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper.
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