Discussion
Thus, these findings showed that intra-tumoral injection of T. canis EST antigens promote lung metastasis through modulation of the tumor immune microenvironment.
Methods
We evaluated these parameters through the monitoring of the intra-tumoral immune response.
Results
Mice injected intratumorally with EST did not show changes in the size and weight of the tumors; although the tumors showed an increased microvasculature, they did develop increased micro and macro-metastasis in the lung. The analysis of the immune tumor microenvironment revealed that EST antigens did not modulate the proportion of immune cells in the tumor, spleen, or peripheral lymph nodes. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the lungs showed increased metastasis in the EST-treated animals compared to controls, accompanied by an increase in VEGF systemic levels.