Journal of veterinary research · 2026
Multimodal characterisation of spontaneous Merkel cell carcinoma in the endangered Caucasian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus pallescens): integrating spatial transcriptomics, imaging mass cytometry and metagenomic sequencing.
СтатьяНазвание и аннотация: Перевод пока не подготовлен
Обработка статьи · этапы, ошибки и управление
Загрузка состояния…
Ошибки и ограничения
История · было → стало
Состояние обновляется каждые 5 секунд, пока блок открыт. Процент показывается только там, где известен объём работы. Пауза останавливает продолжение этапа; текущий запрос к источнику может завершиться.
Mohammadzadeh Peyman, Pilvaieh Amin, Dousti Arshia, Bahrami Mohammad Reza Salim, Ziaee Farshad
Аннотация
INTRODUCTION: Merkel cell carcinoma is an aggressive neuroendocrine skin malignancy rarely reported in non-domestic species.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cutaneous nodule from an endangered Caucasian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus pallescens) was examined using histopathology, immunohistochemistry, imaging mass cytometry, spatial transcriptomics (10× Visium) and metagenomic sequencing.
RESULTS: Histology revealed a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma with frequent mitoses (52 per 2.37 mm2) and necrosis. Tumour cells were positive for cytokeratin 20 (paranuclear dot pattern), synaptophysin and chromogranin A, with a high Ki-67 index (68%). Spatial analyses delineated a distinct tumour core and combined invasive front and stromal compartments, revealing upregulation of neuroendocrine (atonal basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor 1 and neurogenic differentiation factor 1) and proliferative (marker of proliferation Ki-67) programmes, and activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT serine/threonine kinase 1-mechanistic target of rapamycin and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. No evidence of Merkel cell polyomavirus was found. The tumour microenvironment was immune-excluded, with programmed-death ligand 1 expression on ~22% of tumour cells and CD8+ T cells restricted to the stroma.
CONCLUSION: This study provides a comprehensive methodological framework for high-resolution tumour profiling in conservation pathology and highlights the emergence of neoplasia in threatened wildlife.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cutaneous nodule from an endangered Caucasian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus pallescens) was examined using histopathology, immunohistochemistry, imaging mass cytometry, spatial transcriptomics (10× Visium) and metagenomic sequencing.
RESULTS: Histology revealed a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma with frequent mitoses (52 per 2.37 mm2) and necrosis. Tumour cells were positive for cytokeratin 20 (paranuclear dot pattern), synaptophysin and chromogranin A, with a high Ki-67 index (68%). Spatial analyses delineated a distinct tumour core and combined invasive front and stromal compartments, revealing upregulation of neuroendocrine (atonal basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor 1 and neurogenic differentiation factor 1) and proliferative (marker of proliferation Ki-67) programmes, and activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT serine/threonine kinase 1-mechanistic target of rapamycin and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. No evidence of Merkel cell polyomavirus was found. The tumour microenvironment was immune-excluded, with programmed-death ligand 1 expression on ~22% of tumour cells and CD8+ T cells restricted to the stroma.
CONCLUSION: This study provides a comprehensive methodological framework for high-resolution tumour profiling in conservation pathology and highlights the emergence of neoplasia in threatened wildlife.