Can man's best friend help cure cancer

Humans are not the only species on earth that develop cancer; our beloved pets can also succumb to the ‘Big C’ too. While more treatment options are sorely needed for human forms of the disease, the options for animal cancers are severely limited. Often, euthanasia is the only option offered (or even available) to relieve the suffering of our four-legged friends. However, the Bauer Research Foundation is on track to change this situation, and in the process bring a new cancer drug not just to the veterinary clinic, but hopefully to oncology units the world over. 

A vital addiction

In general, all cancers are highly dependent on a molecule called cobalamin (Cbl) for their survival. In fact all cells are. Cbl is another name for vitamin B12, which is an essential B vitamin for DNA synthesis, and vital to cell division, proliferation and stability. Cancer cells, however, are known to ramp up their Cbl dependency, which goes hand-in-hand with the territory of frenzied cell division. 

The Bauer Research Foundation decided to study the expression of two proteins required for Cbl transport and uptake (as well as the proliferation marker ki-67) in naturally occurring cancers. But instead of using human tumor tissue samples (which are fraught with regulations) Project Leader and Foundation President Dr. Annette M. Sysel decided to look at naturally occurring canine and feline cancers. In addition to the ease of obtaining tumor samples from pet patients, Sysel, an expert in veterinary medicine and surgery, explained further: “As our animal companions share our environment (thus being exposed to a lot of the same carcinogens as us) the clinical relevance of studying their cancers is clear. Plus, as the Cbl transport and uptake proteins share so much similarity across species, the results from this study are very translatable to human cancer patients.” 

In support of cancer’s Cbl ‘addiction’ Sysel found that the expression of both the Cbl transport protein and uptake receptor (as well as ki-67) increased dramatically in the 30 canine and 36 feline samples (from various cancers) included in the study, compared to the adjacent, normal tissues in the same patients. As part of this investigation, samples were stained immunohistochemically with Proteintech antibodies recognizing the transcobalamin transport protein TCII and cell surface receptor TCII-R*. In performing this study the team has identified new biomarkers with diagnosis, prognosis and treatment assessment potential. Yet, the Foundation hasn’t stopped at measuring these proteins; it has an ingenious, Cbl-based tactic up its sleeve to treat cancer…and it seems to be working beyond expectation in Man’s Best Friend.