The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine

eorgia Veterinary Scholars Program

GVSP Summer 2008 Scholars

Georgia Veterinary Scholar	Faculty Mentor

Elijah Edmondson University of Georgia Class of 2011	Dr. Bruce LeRoy

Immunohistochemical localization of Interleukin-6 in malignant canine prostate tissue

Edmondson, Elijah*. LeRoy, Bruce; University of Georgia; Athens, Georgia

Currently there is great interest in characterizing the relationship between cancer and infections or inflammation. Towards this end, it is important to demonstrate associations between the progression of cancer, the specific molecules involved, and the role these components play. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a
pleiotropic cytokine that is an integral component of the innate immune response. IL-6 has been shown to mediate cell proliferation, suppress apoptosis, and promote angiogenesis. IL-6 dysregulation may result in chronic inflammation and create a microenvironment conducive to the progression of malignancy. In order to assess the potential involvement of IL-6 in canine prostate carcinoma, the expression of this molecule was
investigated in canine prostate cancer tissue. Immunohistochemical evaluation revealed that the intensity of IL-6 staining was significantly elevated in prostate carcinoma tissue compared with normal/hyperplastic prostate. Additionally, the effects of IL-6 blockade were evaluated on the growth and invasion of a canine
prostate carcinoma cell line. The increased expression of IL-6 suggests that IL-6 may play a key role in the progression of canine prostate cancer.

Research Support: Thank you to Merck and VMES for supporting GA Vet Sch Elijah Edmondson