Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT) is a sexually transmitted tumour affecting dogs worldwide, imposing a financial burden on dog owners. A stable culture cell line in continuous passages for >18 months has only been achieved once. The present study investigated a stable CTVT cell line isolated from a bitch and its potential as a vaccine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A biopsy from a 2-year-old mongrel bitch with CTVT was obtained for histopathological confirmation and isolation of tumour cells. The isolated cells were cultured to passage 55 and characterised by flow cytometry, with karyotyping by GTG-banding and by PCR detection of myc S-2 and LINE AS1. The isolated CTVT cell line was also used as a preventive vaccine in a canine model. RESULTS: Histopathological analysis of the isolated tumour cells revealed typical CTVT characteristics. Constant proliferation and stable morphological characteristics were observed during culture. Phenotypic analysis determined the expression of HLA-DR(+), CD5.1(+), CD14(+), CD45(+), CD83(+), CD163(+), and Ly-6G-Ly-6C(+). GTG-banding revealed a mean of 57 chromosomes in the karyotype with several complex chromosomal rearrangements. LINE-c-myc insertion in the isolated CTVT cell line at 550 bp was not detected. However, a 340-bp band was amplified. Isolated CTVT cell line inoculation at a concentration of 1×10(8) did not induce tumour growth in bitches, nor did a challenge with primary CTVT cells. CONCLUSION: The present study successfully identified and isolated a stable CTVT cell line that may be useful in CTVT prevention.