Post CA1 Pathology

Circulation 1

Hyperaemia and Congestion

  • Increased blood volumes within tissues (terminal vascular bed)


Hyperaemia

  • Reserve capillaries filled 

  • Increased blood in terminal vascular bed

    • Arterioles and capillaries 

  • Increased erythrocytes in vessels causes redness 

  • Active process 

  • Blood is well oxygenated (red) = erythema (reddening of skin)

  • Can be physiological or pathological

    • Physiological= exercise, thermoregulation

    • Pathological= inflammation 



Congestion 

  • Impeded outflow of blood from tissue 

  • Physical obstruction of the vessels

    • external compression 

    • internal blockage

  • Failure of forward blood flow can lead to congestive heart failure 

  • Poorly oxygenated venous blood (bluish)= cyanosis 


Localised Congestion

  • locally restricted blood flow

  • thrombus, external pressure, torsion


Generalized

  • Cardiac failure 


Hypostatic

  • Gravity combined with peripheral circulatory failure 

  • Blood pools to dependent organs 


Effects of Congestion 

  • Gradual onset leads to development of collateral circulation 

  • Chronic congestion= oedema, hypoxia, diapedesis 

    • In the lungs, leads to increased blood flow in the capillaries= fluid leaking out due to high pressure 

  • Pulmonary congestion= heart failure cells 

    • left sided heart failure 

  • Hepatic congestion= nutmeg liver 

    • right sided heart failure 


Ischaemia 

  • Decreased blood in terminal vascular bed 

  • Inadequate blood supply of a tissue relative to its needs

  • Consequences:

    • Hypoxia 

      • can occur without ischemia in cases of anemia and high altitudes 

    • Build up of waste products 

    • Malnutrition 

  • More rapid and severe cell and tissue damage than hypoxia 


Causes of Ischaemia 

  • Cardiac arrest 

    • whole body affected 

    • severity depends on sensitivity of specific tissue 

  • Arterial obstruction 

    • thrombosis 

    • embolism 

    • arterial spasm (ergot poisoning)

    • arteritis (intravascular parasites)

    • external pressure (tourniquet)

    • arterial occlusion (volvulus)

      • may also show congestion, hemorrhage and hyperemia 

    • Venous obstruction 

      • indirect effect via transmission of pressure 

      • will show signs of congestion 

  • Capillary damage 

    • pressure sores: due to constantly sitting on one side leading to inadequate blood flow

  • Hypovolemia 

    • low blood pressure 

  • Severe vasodilation 


Consequences of Ischaemia 

  • Modifying factors 

    • Specific tissue involved 

      • brain (very sensitive) vs fibrous tissue (more tolerant)

    • Duration and speed of onset

      • Collateral circulation important: gradual onset allows compensation 

  • Oxygenation of blood

    • severity increases in anemic animals 

  • Temperature of tissues 

    • Lowers metabolic rate = more tolerant to ischemia 


Reperfusion Injury

  • Restoration of blood flow can promote recovery if they are reversibly injured 

  • It can also exacerbate the injury and cause cell death 


Mechanisms 

  • Oxidative stress : ROS and nitrogen species 

  • Intracellular calcium overload

  • Inflammation

  • Activation of the complement system


Infarction 

  • Ischemic necrosis caused by occlusion of either the arterial supply or the venous drainage 

  • Arterial obstruction is more important 

  • Gangrene = ischemic necrosis of the extremities 


Development  

  • Degeneration and necrosis of ischaemic tissue 

  • Redness, swelling: initial hemorrhage and inflammation around the area 

  • Wedge-shaped 

  • Tissue lightens in colour and swelling resolves 

  • Line of hyperaemia

    • inflammatory response trying to contain and remove dead tissue 

  • Removal of necrotic tissue 

  • scarring 

    • Healing via fibrosis 


Factors that influence infarctions 

  • Anatomy of the vascular supply

    • End-arterial: kidney, spleen, heart

      • No collateral blood supply, so higher risk of complete infarction 

    • Alternative blood supply: Lung, liver, GIT

      • Lower risk

  • Rate of occlusion 

    • Slow vs fast 

    • Development of collateral circulation if slow 

  • Tissue vulnerability to hypoxia 

    • Metabolically active, highly specialized tissues have a higher oxygen demand

    • Higher O2 demand= neurons, cardiomyocytes

  • Hypoxemia 

Examples

  • Common organs: kidney, brain, spleen, limbs, intestines 

    • poor collateral circulation

  • Sterile vs septic (secondary infected emboli) circulation 

    • Can result in an abscess


Renal Infarct

  • Acute

    • swelling of affected tissue and dark red colour 

    • backflow of blood 

    • Hemorrhage, congestion and hyperemia along the edges 

  • Subacute

    • Pale with hyperaemic margins 

    • Less blood present 

    • Necrosis setting in 

  • Chronic 

    • Affected tissue is pale and shrunken due to fibrosis 


Circulation 2

Hemorrhage

  • Interruption of vascular integrity 

  • Bleeding from a damaged vessel

  • Vascular disease may predispose to hemorrhage 

  • Local high blood pressure also predisposes 

  • Diffuse hemorrhaging may occur in coagulation disorders


Definitions 

  • Diapedesis: loss of individual erythrocytes between endothelial cells 

  • Hematoma: local accumulation of blood, usually clotted 

  • Petechiae: pin-point hemorrhages 

  • Ecchymoses: “paintbrush” hemorrhages 

  • Hemopericardium: blood in the pericardial sac

  • Hemothorax: blood in the thoracic cavity 

  • Hemoperitoneum/hemoabdomen: blood in the abdominal cavity 

  • Hemarthrosis: blood in the joints 


Local Effects

  • Depends on location

    • Retina and brain 

  • Space-occupying lesions 

    • Pericardium, lungs- issues as the pressure can result in interfered function 

  • Small hemorrhages 

    • no residual effects

  • Larger hematomas 

    • Fibrosis, hemosiderin in macrophages 


Systemic Effects

  • Repeated minor blood loss can lead to iron deficiency

    • GI ulcers= melena 

  • Acute blood loss (less than 20%) can be handled by compensatory mechanisms 

  • Acute blood loss of 30% or more may induce hypovolemic shock

  • Slower losses of 30% can be handled by compensatory mechanisms 


Compensatory Mechanisms 

Blood Redistribution 

  • Selective arteriolar constriction 

  • Sympathetic nervous system 

  • Epinephrine/norepinephrine 

  • Diverts blood to essential organs 

  • Concurrent splenic contraction 


Restoration of Blood Volume 

  • Extravascular fluid moves into vascular system 

  • Helps maintain blood pressure 

  • Causes hemodilution 

  • Takes 48 hours 


PCV

  • Estimation of blood loss 

  • Reflects relative proportions of plasma and erythrocytes 

  • 50% PCV is typical

    • Dehydrated animals may have a higher value


Replacement of Lost Erythrocytes 

  • Bone marrow response

  • Maximal at 5-6 days post-hemorrhage 

  • Abates around day 12 

  • Indicated by reticulocyte count

    • immature RBCs indicate replacement 


Hemorrhagic Tendencies 

  • Or Hemorrhagic diathesis

  • Associated with 

    • Vascular diseases 

    • Disorders of blood clotting mechanism (or warfarin poisoning)


Vascular Diseases 

  • Purpura

    • Diffuse superficial hemorrhage in skin, mucus membranes and viscera

    • Ecchymoses or petechiae 

  • Systemic purpura

    • Due to infectious disease

    • Bacterial toxins damaging endothelium 

    • Intra-endothelial viruses 

    • Rickettsias 

Purpura haemorrhagica

  • horses

  • Hemorrhage and edema 

  • Allergic reactions causing damage to arteriolar endothelium 

    • Often follows strangles (Streptococcus equi spp equi)


Vitamin C deficiency 

  • Results in weakness of connective tissues 

  • Hemorrhage from multiple vessels and delayed wound healing 

  • Only seen in humans, guinea pigs, non-human primates 


Shock

  • Failure of circulatory system to adequately perfuse vital organs 

    • Circulatory dyshomeostasis 

  • Due to disparity between circulating blood volume and size of vascular space 

  • Reduced cardiac output or reduced effective circulating blood volume

  • Circulatory failure that impairs tissue perfusion leads to hypoxia


Basic Mechanisms 

  • Decreased circulating blood volume 

    • hemorrhage 

  • Inappropriate peripheral vascular resistance 

    • Massive vasodilation

  • Reduced cardiac output 

  • Compensatory mechanisms may prevent death 


Categories of Shock

  • Cardiogenic 

  • Hypovolemic

    • Decreased blood volume 

  • Blood maldistribution 

    • decreased peripheral vascular resistance and pooling of blood 

    • Sepsis, septic shock, SIRS (Systemic inflammatory response syndrome)

    • Anaphylactic 

    • Neurogenic: trauma, emotion, shock 


Cardiogenic Shock

  • Decreased cardiac output

  • Acute severe myocardial failure

  • Diastolic dysfunction

    • improper filling 

  • Systolic dysfunction 

    • improper emptying

      • Increased vascular resistance

      • Ruptured chordae tendinae

      • Dysrhythmias 

      • Decreased myocardial contractility


Hypovolemic shock 

  • Pronounced decrease in blood volume 

  • Loss of fluid from vascular compartment 

  • Fluid loss may be 

    • External 

    • Internal 


External Fluid Loss

  • Hemorrhage

  • Diarrhea 

  • Excessive urination: Diuresis 

Internal Fluid Loss

  • Due to increased vascular permeability 

  • Burns

  • Trauma

  • Gastrointestinal volvulus

    • Blood trapped in intestine 


Sepsis, Septic Shock, SIRS

  • Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated host response to infection

  • Septic shock is a subset of sepsis. It is the most common type of blood maldistribution shock 

  • SIRS is a sepsis-like condition associated with systemic inflammation

    • Triggered by non microbial insults


Septic Shock

  • Inflammatory and counter-inflammatory responses 

  • Endothelial activation and injury 

  • Induction of a procoagulant statethrombus formation which worsens tissue hypoxia 

  • Metabolic abnormalities → hypoglycemia 

  • Organ dysfunction 


Lipopolysaccharide- LPS

  • Vascular mediators 

  • Activate macrophages/monocytes

    • IL1-β, TNF-⍺

  • Activation of the coagulation cascade

    • Factor XII

  • Complement- anaphylatoxins - C3a, C5a


Maldistribution- Other Causes

Anaphylaxis

  • Type I hypersensitivity

  • Vasodilation

  • Increased vascular permeability

Neurogenic Shock

  • Trauma to the nervous system 

  • Electrocution 

  • Autonomic discharges responsible 

  • Cytokine release not a major factor in initial vasodilation 


Stages of Shock 

  • Non Progressive

    • Compensatory mechanisms

    • Perfusion of vital organs maintained 

  • Progressive 

    • Increase cell injury 

    • Compensatory mechanisms slowly overwhelmed 

  • Irreversible 


Compensatory Mechanisms 

  • Maintain blood flow to the heart and brain 

  • Divert blood from periphery 

    • cool extremities 

    • pale

  • Mediated by sympathetic nervous system

  • Sympathetic stimulation = increased heart rate and increased myocardial contractility 

  • Vasoconstriction maintains blood pressure 

  • Improved tissue perfusion 

  • Net effect=

    • Tachycardia 

    • Peripheral vasoconstriction 

    • Renal conservation of fluid 


Consequences of Inadequate Perfusion 

  • Endothelial cells

    • Leaky vessels

    • Loss of vascular fluid 

    • Sludging of red blood cells 

  • Kidney and liver

    • Cell necrosis 

  • Heart

    • Arrhythmias 

  • Brain

    • Loss of consciousness 

    • Brain damage 

  • Anaerobic metabolism 

    • Buildup of metabolites 

    • Lactic acid 

    • Perpetuates failing cardiac output and worsens tissue perfusion 

  • Irreversible shock


Irreversible Shock

  • If compensatory mechanisms fail 

  • Inadequate tissue perfusion 

  • Ischaemic injury to cells 


Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)

  • Widespread clotting within the vascular system 

  • Multiple fibrin clots within terminal vascular beds 

  • Triggers fibrinolysis 

    • Resulting fibrin degradation products (FDPs) inhibit coagulation 

  • Causes consumption of platelets and coagulation factors

  • End result is widespread hemorrhage 


Causes of DIC

  • Vasculitis, blood stasis, coagulopathies 

    • Endotheliotropic viruses 

      • Canine herpesvirus 

      • Rabbit calcivirus 

    • Endotoxaemia 

    • Intravascular hemolysis 

    • Severe extensive tissue damage 

    • Shock 








DISTURBANCES IN CIRCULATION 3 

OEDEMA 

The accumulation of excess fluid in the interstitial (extracellular ) space or body cavities 


Types of fluid accumulation 

  1. Ascites 

  2. Hydro Abdomen 

  3. Hydroperitoneum - in reptiles 

  4. Hydrothorax 

  5. Hydropericardium 


Characteristics of oedema fluid

Transudate 

Exudate 

Low protein (mostly albumin) 

High total protein 

Doesn't clot 

Clot 

Few cells present 

Highly cellular 

Low specific gravity 

High specific gravity 

Clear or straw colored 

May be turbid 

Cause: non-inflammatory (increased pressure, decreased protein) 

Inflammatory (leaky vessels) involves increased vascular permeability (inflammation (imp;know that this is what cause exudate)  


NOTE: anasarca - oedema is generalised throughout the body and the animal is very puffy 


Development of oedema 

  • Movement of fluid between vascular and extravascular compartments depends on balance of hydrostatic & osmotic pressure. 

  • Under normal conditions some fluids move out of vessels at an arterial end. 

  • Balanced by lymphatic drainage plus resorption of fluid at venous end 

  • Oedema ensues when excessive fluid movement out of vessels.

    •  Lymphatic drainage can increase markedly to compensate 

  • Insufficient lymphatic drainage if there's too much fluid coming in 

  • Oedema and can be inflammatory or non-inflammatory 

  • Hyperaemia is always active so it's always inflammatory 



MECHANISMS OF OEDEMA 

4 main mechanisms 

  1. Increased hydrostatic pressure 

  • Increased blood volume & increased pressure within capillaries 

  • Venous pressure determines capillary hydrostatic pressure 

  • May be local(occuring in one area)  or systemic

  • Systemic has to do with typically heart failure→ increased BV & accumulation in certain areas. Can lead to activation of the RAAS system. Results in expansion of plasma volume & hence increased venous pressure 

RAAS 

  • Decreased cardiac output 

  • Blood shunted away from kidney → decreased renal perfusion causes release of renin 

  • Renin catalyses conversion of plasma angiotensinogen to angiotensin I 

  • Angiotensin I passes to lungs and converted to angiotensin II which passes to adrenal cortex 

  • This triggers aldosterone release which stimulates sodium retention and water is retained along with sodium 

  • Increased BV in circulation but the heart is messed up so blood is seeping out of blood vessels. (treat - drugs that will block ADH) 


Strangulation of intestine - can have congestion, hyperaemia, haemorrhage and hydrostatic pressure 

Other conditions leading to increased hydrostatic pressure 

  • Pulmonary hypotension

  • Left sided heart failure 

  • High altitude disease 

  • Localized venous obstruction 

  • Gastric dilation & volvulus 

  • Intestinal volvulus & torsion 

  • Uterine torsion 

  • Venous thrombosis 

  • Fluid overload 

  • Kidney disease - Na retention with renal disease 

  • Iatrogenic 


  1. Decreased osmotic pressure 

  • Always generalized 

  • Albumin is most important osmotically active substance in plasma 

  • Hypoalbuminemia may be due to 

  • Decreased formation (hepatic /starvation)

  • Increased loss (parasitism) - main cause. Because worms are sucking the blood or getting proteins out 

  • Because hypoalbuminemia is systemic, generalised oedema develops 

Causes of hypoalbuminemia 

  • Decreased albumin synthesis 

    • Decreased AA supply (starvation) 

    • Severe hepatic disease (cirrhosis

NOTE: bone marrow is the last placed for serous atrophy so if there is fat there, it is severe 

  • Increased albumin loss 

    • Whole blood loss - repeated haemorrhages 

    • Gastrointestinal loss - whole blood → haemonchosis or gastric ulcers. Protein loss alone→ inflammation, protein losing enteropathies 

    • Nephrotic syndrome 

      • Protein losing renal disease 

      • In serum chemistry & U/A, 3 findings - proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia (hypoproteinemia) and triglyceridemia (hyperlipidemia) 

      • Animal has generalised oedema 

  • NOTE : animals can lose up to 30% BV but it has to be gradual 

 



  1. Lymphatic blockage 

  • Causes localised oedema 

  • Known as lymphoedema or lymphatic oedema 

  • Obstruction may be internal or external

  • Tumor invasion of regional lymph node 

  • Overly Tight bandaging 

  • Lymphangitis 

  • Fibrosis 

  • Congenital 


  1. Increased vascular permeability 

  • Usually local 

  • In this mechanism of oedema the vessels are undamaged

  • Most often results from inflammation 

  • Inflammatory mediators cause increased endothelial “leakiness” - TNF, IL1 

  • Loss of fluid, cells, protein into tissues 

  • Resulting in high protein fluid known as exudate (high protein, high cellular fluid) 


Causes of increased vascular permeability 

  • Infectious agents 

  • Viruses, bacteria, rickettsia 

  • Affects the endothelial cells 

  • Immune mediated 

  • Type III hypersensitivity 

  • Ag-Ab complexes landing on epithelial cells and causing increased vascular permeability 

  • Neovascularization 

  • Anaphylaxis : Type I hypersensitivity 

  • Toxins : Paraquat 

  • Clotting abnormalities : DIC 

  • Metabolic abnormalities 

  • Diabetes mellitus 

  • Thiamine deficiency 



EXAMPLES OF OEDEMA SYNDROME 

  1. Nephrotic syndrome 

  2. Hepatic disease 

  • Often seen in ascites esp if associated with fibrosis (cirrhosis)- portal hypertension

  • Decreased protein (albumin) synthesis central mechanism 

  1. Pulmonary oedema 

  • Left sided heart failure: causes backflow of pressure into pulmonary vessels 

  • Increased pulmonary hydrostatic pressure results in transudate forming in alveoli 

  • may also occur due to endothelial damage by inhaled irritants, anaphylaxis, acute respiratory infections 

  1. Cerebral oedema 

  • No room for expansion 

    • Pushed through foramen magnum 

  • Causes clinical signs via pressure on brain tissue 

  • Oedematous brain is swollen, heavy, gyri flattened 

  • Brain tumors, head trauma, widespread endothelial damage 



GROSS APPEARANCE OF OEDEMA 

  • swollen, soft, cool tissues

  • wet, shiny surfaces 

  • can be clear fluid (transudate) or protein rich

  • Serous cavities increase in fluid 

  • Solid tissues : wet, heavy, enlarged 

  • Subcutaneous tissues - distension swelling, pitting on pressure, gravity dependent, infected tissue may pour fluid 


CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF OEDEMA 

Depends on:

  • Extent (volume of fluid): large volumes may act as space-occupying lesions

  • Duration: chronic oedema may lead to fibrosis - impairs function 

  • If there is a lot of fibrin and there is fibrosis→ impair function of certain organs or certain cavities 

  • Location: tissue affected: pulmonary or cerebral oedema may be fatal 

  • Excessive pulmonary oedema is fatal 

  • Cerebral oedema affects brain function 

  • Other types of oedema include subcutaneous oedema or inflammatory oedema and is not fatal 




TYPES OF OEDEMA 

DISTURBANCES OF CIRCULATION 4 

THROMBOSIS, EMBOLISM, DIC 


THROMBOSIS 

Refers to blood clots that form within vessels during life. Formation of a solid mass of blood components within the blood vessels or heart during life. 

These must be differentiated from post mortem clots (which are gelatinous and not attached to the vessel wall) 

Most thrombi resolve without complications 


CAUSES OF THROMBOSIS 

Virchow’s Triad - the 3 major causes of thrombosis 

  1. Endothelial damage 

  • Most important factor 

  • Damage to vessel lining 

  • Clot initiation - platelet activation. Activates clotting cascade via intrinsic & extrinsic pathways 

  • E.g. trauma, vasculitis, endotoxemia

  • Organisms affecting endothelial cells: 

 


  1. Abnormal blood flow 

  • Turbulence or stasis 

  • Promote endothelial activation 

  • Disrupt laminar flow 

  • Prevent washout & dilution of activated clotting factors 

  • Prevent inflow of coagulation inhibitors 

  • Influences thrombus progression 

  • Vascular stasis in veins= aneurysms, varicose veins 

  • Loss of laminar flow: 

    • turbulence- endothelial injury, form countercurrents. 

    • Arterial & cardiac vessels if blood flows slow, then a lot of things can accumulate 

  • Causes:

    • Local stasis/reduced flow

      • GDV, torsion, volvulus, varicocele, external compression

    • Cardiac diseases

      • Cardiomyopathy, hypertrophy

    • Aneurysm

    • Hypovolaemia

      • shock, diarrhea, burns 


Abnormal blood composition  

  • Hypercoagulability -favors clotting 

  • Influences thrombus progression 

  • Clotting factors 

  • PCV 

  • Platelets - too many platelets hypercoagulation   

  • Misc - drugs, disease 

  1. Hypercoagulability 

  • Increased tendency of blood to clot 

  • Enhanced platelet activity

  • diabetes mellitus

  • malignant neoplasia 

  • Increased clotting factor activation

  • DIC

  • nephrotic syndrome 

  • Antithrombin III deficiency (molecule that destroys thrombin) 

  • hepatic disease

  • glomerular amyloidosis 

  • Metabolic disease

  • Hyperadrenocorticism 

  • Hypothyroidism 

  • E.g. protein-losing nephropathy, pregnancy, neoplasia 



FORMATION OF A THROMBUS 

  • Occurs in layers 

  • Platelets adhere to damaged endothelium 

  • Fibrin deposited on top 

  • Onion-skin appearance 

  • Complex patterns associated with flow variations 

  • Laminated thrombi (lines of Zahn) form in larger arteries 



TYPES OF THROMBI 

  1. Arterial thrombi 

  • Usually occlusive 

  • Pale(grey white) , platelets + fibrin rich 

  • Coronary, cerebral & femoral arteries 

  • Typically firm adherent to the arterial wall 

  • Tangled mesh of platelets, fibrin, RBC and degeneration leukocytes 

  1. Venous thrombosis 

  • RBC rich red, more likely to embolize 

  • Occlusive 

  • Phlebothrombosis 

  • Long cast of vein lumen 

  • Tend to contain more enmeshed erythrocytes 

  • Red or stasis thrombi 



FATE OF THROMBI 

  • Propagation - thrombus grows & obstructs more of the vessel 


  • Embolisation - part breaks off & travels → embolus 


  • Dissolution - thrombus is broken down by fibrinolysis (early) 


  • Organisation & recanalisation - fibroblasts grow in → new channels form through thrombus 


  • Combinations 







AM vs PM Blood Clots


Antemortem clot 

Post mortem clot 

Flowing blood 

Static blood 

Attached 

Not attached 

Not exact mould of vessel 

Moulded to vessel 

Rough stringy 

Smooth, glistening 

Red grey 

Currant jelly or chicken fat 

Laminated 

Not laminated 



EMBOLISM 

Sudden blockage of a blood vessel by an embolus which is material traveling in the bloodstream that lodges in a vessel too small for it to pas through

Can be gas, solid or liquid and it causes dysfunction 


NOTE: emboli travel, while thrombi form in place 


Thromboembolism is a dislodged thrombus- most common type of embolus 



TYPES OF EMBOLI 

  1. Thromboembolism 

  • Most common type 

  • Detached part of thrombus 

  • E.g. pulmonary embolism 


  1. Gas or air embolism 

  • Air bubbles entering circulation 

  • E.g. IV catheter issues


  1. Fat embolism 

  • Fat droplets often from fractured long bones - fat enters circulation and cause emboli 

  • E.g. orthopedic surgery, trauma 


  1. Cancers or tumor embolism 

  • Fragments of malignant tumors 

  • E.g. intravascular spread of neoplasia 


  1. Foreign bodies 

  • More human medicine 

  • IV, drug abuse


  1. Cartilage from intervertebral disc


  1. Septic embolism 

  • Emboli containing infectious organisms 

  • Endocarditis, abscess rupture 


SEQUELAE OF EMBOLISM 

  • Spread of tumor /infection 

  • infarction 

  • nothing 



DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION (DIC)

  • Widespread clotting within the vascular system 

  • Results in multiple fibrin clots within terminal vascular beds (microvasculature) 

  • Consumptive coagulopathy 

  • Triggers fibrinolysis 

  •  resulting fibrin degradation products (FDPs) 

  • Inhibit coagulation 

  • Causes consumption of platelets and coagulation factors

  • End result is widespread haemorrhage 

  • Grossly see petechial & ecchymotic haemorrhage of lung, renal glomeruli, gastric mucosa, liver, skin plus congestion & infarction 

NOTE: remember that DIC is not the primary disease so you have to treat the primary disease to fix this 


Schematic fo DIC 

Hemostasis 1

  • Hemostasis is the prevention or cessation of bleeding 

  • Everyday trauma causes damage to vessel walls 

  • In order to stop hemorrhages from this, thrombosis occurs (formation of blood clots)

  • Clot is also called a thrombus 

  • Mechanisms are also needed to repair damaged endothelium 

  • Once the defect his healed the clot is dissolved= fibrinolysis 

  • Thrombosis and fibrinolysis occur simultaneously 


Formation of a Thrombus

  • Vasoconstriction 

    • Decreases surface area of the defect 

    • Local axonal reflex

  • Simultaneously platelets stick to exposed collagen = platelet adhesion

    • Mediated by von Willebrand’s factor (vWF) that hastens formation by helping platelets bind to the basement membrane 


Platelets

  • Primary hemostasis: form the primary plug 

  • Provide a surface that binds and concentrates coagulation factors needed for secondary hemostasis 

  • Two types of granules 

    • -granules: coagulation factors (attached, inactivated free form, and in the platelet)

    • Dense granules: ADP, ATP, Ca2+, serotonin


Primary Hemostasis 

  • May be sufficient with small defects

  • Can’t seal large holes

  • Can’t withstand fast-flowing blood

  • Needs stabilizing 


Steps

  1. Platelets adhere to collagen glycoproteins, proteoglycans thanks to platelet receptor Gp1b

  2. Adherence causes platelet activation and shape change 

  • Platelets’ dense granules release ADP that recruit more platelets 

  • Increase fibrinogen bind to platelet receptor CpIIbIIIa, forming the dense plug


Secondary Hemostasis 

  • Stabilization of the platelet plug 

  • Platelets become linked together by insoluble fibrin 

  • Generation of fibrin is achieved by clotting cascade 


Clotting Cascade

  • End point is production of insoluble fibrin

  • Consists of a chain reaction involving a series of proteases converting fibrinogen to fibrin 

Principles

  • Calcium (factor IV) is essential for clotting 

    • Acts as a bridge between factors 

    • Useful in blood collection 

  • Most factors and inhibitors are produced by the liver, thus normal liver function is essential in hemostasis 

  • There is cross-activation between the extrinsic and the intrinsic pathway 

    • Factor VIIa/tissue factor complex is the most important activator of factor IX

    • Factor IXa/Factor VIIIa complex is the most important activator of factor X


Intrinsic Pathway 

  • Triggered by contact activation

  • Occurs when factor XII (in blood) contacts a -ve charged surface such as collagen 

  • Can also be activated by thrombin (factor IIa)

  • XII-> XIIa-> kinin and kalikrein 

    • Clot formation 

    • Complement activation 

    • Fibrinolysis 

  • Cross talk between pathways as thrombin also activates factor XI


Extrinsic Pathway

  • Initiated by tissue factor 

    • Factor III: produced by cells next to exposed collagen 

    • Not free in plasma 

    • Produced by activated endothelium via Endotoxins, TNF, IL1, TGFβ, thrombin


  1. TF activates factor VII to VIIa

  2. TF and Factor VIIa form a complex with calcium 

  3. Activate Factor X to Xa; Activate factor IX to IXa


Common Pathway 

  • Factor Xa converts factor II to factor IIa (thrombin) which results in 

    • Thrombin activating factor V to factor Va

      • Activates factor II to factor IIa

    • Thrombin activating factor XIII to factor XIIIa

      • Crosslinks fibrin 

    • Thrombin activating factor I to factor Ia (fibrin)


Roles of Thrombin 

  • Conversion of fibrinogen into cross-linked fibrin (factor I)

  • Platelet activation (factor XIII)

    • Shape, surface and recruitment 

  • Pro-inflammatory effects

  • Anticoagulant effects 




Fibrinolysis/thrombolysis 

  • Prevents clots from getting too large

  • Dissolves thrombi once vessel damage is healed 

  • Fibrin is cleaved by plasmin


Generation of plasmin 

  • Plasminogen (inactive form) gets caught up in clots as they form 

  • Becomes activated in clots 

    • Urokinase

    • Tissue plasminogen activator- released by endothelial cells

    • Factor XIIa

  • Plasmin cleaves fibrin dissolving the clot and producing fibrin degradation products (FDPs)

  • FDPs inhibit 

    • Clotting 

    • Fibrin 

    • Platelet aggregation


Inhibitors of Clotting

  • Circulating inhibitors 

  • Activated factors bind to inhibitors and are removed by macrophages 

  • Antithrombin 3 (AT III) is the most important 


Anti-thrombin III

  • Most potent and significant 

    • Lost in protein losing nephropathy 

  • Degrades most of the factors 

    • Thrombin and factor Xa

  • Inhibits kinin formation and complement activation 


Protein C and S

  • Vitamin K dependent 

  • Destroys factors Va and VIIIa

  • Effectiveness is enhanced by activation with thrombin 

    • More effective when thrombin is bound to thrombomodulin 

  • Neutralize plasminogen activator inhibitors 

  • Protein S inhibits VIIIa, Xa, and Va


Other Inhibitors 

  • Thrombomodulin found in endothelial membranes 

  • Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor (TFPI)

    • Inactivation of tissue factor-VIIa complex 

    • Inactivation of factor Xa





Endothelium 

  • Not a passive cell layer

  • Important in clot formation, propagation and dissolution

  • Pro and anti-coagulation properties 

  • Intact endothelium= antithrombotic/coagulation properties 

  • Damaged/activated endothelium= pro-thrombotic/coagulation properties 


Anti-coagulation Endothelium

  • Platelet inhibitory effects 

    • PGI2- prostacyclin= opposes thromboxane 

    • ADPase= degrades ADP preventing further platelet attraction 

    • NO

  • Anticoagulant effects

    • Thrombomodulin 

    • Heparin-like molecules

    • Anchor for Protein C and S

  • Fibrinolytic effects

    • t-PA= converts plasminogen to plasmin 


Hemostasis and Other Responses 

  • Kallikrein

    • Chemotactic 

    • Cleaves C5 to C5a and C5b, and HMWK to bradykinin 

  • Plasmin

    • Cleaves C3a to C3a and C3b

  • Activated endothelium: PDGF, TGFβ, VEGF= healing 


Defects of Hemostasis 

  • For hemostasis you need platelets, all clotting cascade components, fibrinolysis components

  • Defects may cause:

    • Excessive bleeding 

    • Excessive clotting 


Clinical Appearance

  • Defects of coagulation pathways 

    • Severe bleeding 

    • Hematomas

    • Body cavity bleeding 

    • Bleeding into joint= hemarthrosis 

  • Platelet defects (primary hemostasis defects)

    • Less severe bleeding 

    • Bleeding from terminal vascular beds, mucous membranes 

    • Ecchymoses or petechiae 

    • Epistaxis: nose bleeds 

    • Hematochezia: bright red blood in the stool

    • Hematuria: blood in the urine 


Disorders of Primary Hemostasis 

Vessel Wall Abnormalities 

  • Trauma 

  • Vasculitis 

    • Endotoxemia 

    • Disruption of wall by fungi 

    • Viruses, toxins, immune complexes can also damage vessels 

  • Excessively fragile vessels (involves supporting collagen)

    • Congenital 

      • Osteogenesis imperfecta 

      • Ehlers-Danlos syndrome 

    • Acquired form= scurvy


Platelet abnormalities 

  • Thrombocytopenia 

  • Thrombopathies, thrombathenias, thrombocytopathies 

    • Defective platelet function 


Thrombocytopenias 

  • Increased destruction 

    • Immune mediated 

  • Increased consumption 

    • DIC

  • Decreased production 

    • Bone marrow disease

  • Sequestration 

    • Enlarged spleen 


Functional defects

  • Thrombasthenias, thrombopathies, thrombocytopathies 

  • Platelet count will be normal, but function will be abnormal 

  • Can be inherited or acquired 


Congenital functional defects

  • Glanzamann’s thrombasthenia 

  • Great Pyrenees 

  • Several horse breeds 

  • Defect in GPIIbIIIa

  • Defective platelet aggregation

  • Chediak-Higashi syndrome

    • Aleutian mink, cattle, persian cats, killer whales

    • Defective LYST protein leading to lack of dense granules in neutrophils


Acquired functional defects 

  • Associated with drugs

    • Aspirin 

  • Uremia of renal failure also affects platelet function 

    • Defects in adhesion, granule secretion and aggregation 


Von Willebrand Factor Abnormalities 

  • Secondary platelet defect 

  • Various forms:

    • Decreased total amount of vWF

    • Normal amount present, but decreased function 

      • More severe bleeding

  • Primary platelet plug very unstable 

  • May be seen clinically as excessive bleeding (stopped by secondary hemostasis) after trauma or surgery

  • Especially common in dobermans and Scottish terriers


Disorders of Secondary Hemostasis 

Hemophilia A (Factor VIII)

  • X-linked recessive therefore only males affected 

  • Treatment by transfusions of factor VIII from donated blood 

  • Affects primarily the intrinsic pathway


Other Types of Hemophilia

  • Hemophilia B- Factor IX 

    • X linked 

    • Cats and dogs

  • Hemophilia C- Factor XI

    • Dogs and Holstein cattle 

    • Mild 

  • Hageman’s disease- Factor XII (linked to other issues like fertility)

    • Cats and dogs

    • No clinically significant bleeding 


Acquired Coagulation Factor Deficiencies 

Vitamin K Antagonism 

  • Most common

  • Essential for activation of 

    • Factors II, VII, IX, X

    • Proteins C and S

  • Usually recycled in the liver so only tiny amounts needed in the diet 

  • Coumarins prevent vitamin K recycling 

    • Moulds on sweet clover 

    • Commercially as rat poisoning 

    • Heart disease treatment in humans 

  • Bleeding begins once factors run out 

  • Vitamin K is also needed for proper enzymatic function of Ɣ-glutamyl carboxylase (defects in this enzyme resemble Vitamin K deficiency)


Hepatic Disease

  • In severe generalized liver disease, decreased numbers of clotting factors are synthesized 


DIC

  • Consumptive coagulopathy

    • Widespread clotting leads to depletion of clotting factors 

  • Run out of clothing factors 


Clinical Assessment of Bleeding Disorders

  • Contraindicated with thrombocytopenia 

Primary Hemostasis 

  • Platelet count 

  • Anti coagulated blood using an electronic particle counter


Bleeding time

  • Buccal mucosal bleeding time 

  • Used for vWd


Platelet function tests

  • Screening for vWd, thrombasthenias, or vascular disorders 




Tests of Coagulation Cascade

  • Vitamin K deficiency will affect all

  • Most require citrated plasma (blue tube)

  • Common pathway test: Thrombin time


Activated partial thromboplastin time 

  • Intrinsic pathway 

  • Addition of ground glass, phospholipids and calcium 

  • Time to form clot recorded

  • Type A and B hemophilia 


Prothrombin time 

  • Extrinsic pathway 

  • Tissue factor, phospholipids and calcium are added to plasma 

  • Time to form clot recorded 

Hemostasis 2- Defects of Hemostasis 

  • Hemostasis requires platelets, all clotting cascade components and fibrinolysis components

  • Defects results in:

    • Excessive bleeding 

    • Excessive clotting 


Clinical Manifestations 

  • Severe bleeding 

  • Hematomas

  • Body cavity bleeding 

  • Bleeding into joints 

    • Hemoarthosis


Platelet defects/1º hemostasis defects

  • Less severe bleeding 

  • Bleeding from terminal vascular beds, mucus membranes

  • Ecchymoses or petechiae 

  • Epistaxis 

  • Hematochezia 

  • Hematuria 


Disorders of Primary Hemostasis 

Vessel Wall Abnormalities 

  • Can be due to trauma 

  • Vasculitis 

    • Endotoxemia

    • Disruption of the wall by fungi

    • Viruses, toxins, immune complexes 

  • Excessively fragile vessels 

    • congenital 

    • Involves supporting collagen 

      • Osteogenesis imperfecta

      • Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

    • Acquired form Scurvy


Platelet Abnormalities 

  • Thrombocytopenia

    • Deficient platelet numbers 

  • Thrombopathies, thrombasthenias, thrombocytopathies 

    • Defective platelet function 


Thrombocytopenia

  • Increased destruction 

    • Immune mediated 

  • Increased consumption 

    • DIC

  • Decreased production 

    • Bone marrow disease 

  • Sequestration 

    • Enlarged spleen 


Functional Defects

  • Platelet count will be normal but function will be abnormal

  • Inherited or acquired 


Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia 

  • Seen in great Pyrenees and several horse breeds

  • Defect in GPIIbIIIa

  • Defective platelet aggregation 


Chediak-Higashi syndrome

  • Seen in Aleutian mink, cattle, Persian cats, killer whales 

  • Defective LYST protein leading to lack of dense granules


Acquired Functional Defects

  • Associated with drugs= Aspirin

  • Uremia of renal failure also affects platelet function 

    • defects in adhesion, granule secretion and aggregation


von Willebrand Factor Abnormalities

  • Secondary platelet defect 

  • vWF glues platelets to collagen 

  • Inherited vWF

    • decreased total amount of vWF

    • Normal amount present, but decreased function= more severe bleeding 


Results of vWF defects

  • Primary platelet plug very unstable 

  • Clinically seen as excessive bleeding after trauma or surgery 

  • Common in: Dobermans and Scottish terriers 


DIC

  • Consumptive coagulopathy

  • Run out of clotting factors 



Disorders of Secondary Hemostasis

Hemophilia A (Factor VIII)

  • X-linked recessive= only males affected 

  • Treatment: transfusion of factor VIII

  • Affects primarily the intrinsic pathway 


Other Types of Hemophilia

  • Hemophilia B- factor IX

    • X-linked

    • Cats and dogs

  • Hemophilia C- factor XI

    • Dogs and Holstein cattle 

    • Milkd 

  • Hageman’s disease- factor XII

    • cats and dogs 

    • No clinically significant bleeding


Acquired Coagulation Factor Deficiencies 

Vitamin K Antagonism 

  • Most common 

  • Vit K needed for 

    • factors II, VII, IX, X 

    • Proteins C and S

  • Usually recycled in the liver, so only small amounts are needed in the diet 

  • Coumarins prevent vitamin K recycling 

    • Found in moulds on sweet clover

    • commercially as rat poison 

    • bleeding begins once activated factors run out

  • Vit K also needed for proper function of 𝛾-glutamyl-carboxylase

    • defects in this enzyme can resemble Vit K deficiency


Hepatic Disease

  • Decreased numbers of clotting factors are synthesized 



Clinical Assessment of Bleeding Disorders

  • Bleeding time 

    • Buccal mucosal bleeding time

    • Used for vWD

  • Platelet function tests 

    • screening for vWd, thrmonasthenias or vascular disorders 

  • Contraindicated with thrombocytopenia 


Tests of Coagulation Cascade

  • Vitamin K deficiency influences all

  • Most require citrated plasma: blue tube

Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time 

  • Intrinsic pathway

  • Addition of ground glass, phospholipids and calcium

  • Time to form clot recorded


Prothrombin Time

  • Extrinsic pathway

  • tissue factor, phospholipids and calcium are added to plasma 

  • time to form clot recorded 


Thrombin time 





Neoplasia and Tumor Biology

Neoplasia

  • Abnormal mass

  • Growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal tissue 

  • Persists after cessation of the stimulus which evoked the change 

  • Serves no useful function 


Preneoplastic Changes 

Hypertrophy 

  • Increased size of tissue/organ by the addition of cytoplasm and/or organelles 

  • Can be the whole organ or parts of the organ 

  • Reversible 

  • Examples include: cardiac hypertrophy and pregnant uterus 


Hyperplasia 

  • Increase in size of tissue/organs due to cellular replication

  • Reversible 

    • Responds to body signals

  • Examples: 

    • epidermal hyperplasia during wound healing

    • Goiter: thyroid gland hyperplasia 


Metaplasia

  • Reversible/irreversible change in which one differentiated cell is replaced by another cell type 

  • Most common: columnar to squamous 

  • Example: vitamin A deficiency results in a change of glandular to squamous 


Dysplasia 

  • Disordered growth 

  • Disorderly arrangement of cells within the tissue 

  • Many features of anaplasia

  • Precursor to neoplasia but can still be reversible 


Anaplasia 

  • Lack of differentiation 

  • Reversion to more primitive cellular morphologic features 

  • Indicates irreversible progression to neoplasia 


Classification of neoplasms

Mesenchymal tumors

  • Embryonic mesodermal origin 

  • Benign rumors= -oma to the name of the cell of origin 

    • Fibrocyte- fibroma 

    • Rhabdocyte- rhabdomyoma 

  • Malignant tumors take the suffix -sarcoma 

    • Fibrocyte- fibrosarcoma

    • Osteocyte- osteosarcoma 

  • Round cells of the hematopoietic system are also mesenchymal 

    • Lymphosarcoma (shortened to lymphoma)

      • Situated in organ or extravascular and forms a mass 

  • Malignancies in the circulating blood are termed leukemias 

    • No primary mass but well vascularized organs will still enlarge 


Benign vs Malignant 

  • Benign has a more typical cell structure 

  • Malignant presents a different arrangement of cells and more fibrocytes are present 


Epithelial tumors 

Benign 

  • Use the suffix -oma

  • Adenoma- glandular tissue 

    • Mammary adenoma 

  • Papilloma- exophytic, cutaneous or subcutaneous 

    • Broad base connection 

  • Polyp- projecting from a mucosal surface 

    • Narrow stalk 


Malignant 

  • Use the suffix -carcinoma 

  • Adenocarcinomas- glandular growth 



Examples

  • Liver

    • Hepatoma- benign 

    • Hepatocellular carcinoma- malignant 

  • Bile duct

    • Cholangiocellular carcinoma- malignant 

  • Lung

    • Pulmonary carcinoma- malignant 

  • Kidney

    • Renal carcinoma- malignant 


Neural Crest Cells

  • Occurs when the neuroectoderm separates from the overlying ectoderm 

  • -oma for benign

  • “Malignant” in front of malignant tumors

  • Examples:

    • Adrenal gland (medulla)

      • Pheochromocytoma 

      • Malignant pheochromocytoma 

    • Melanocytes

      • Melanoma, melanocytoma

      • Malignant melanoma (can be found in dogs: oral, around digits, eyes; cats: intraocular)


Mixed Tumors

  • Multiple cell types: pluripotent or totipotent 

  • Mixed mammary tumor 

    • Mesenchymal and epithelial

    • Other apocrine glands can be affected 

  • Teratomas: tumors with cells from multiple origins 

    • Totipotent germ cells 

    • At least 2 or 3 types are present 


Tumor-Like Lesions 

  • Hematoma: bruise

  • Granuloma: inflammatory reaction 

  • Choristoma: well organized nest of cells in the incorrect location 

  • Hamartoma: disorganized nest of cells in the correct anatomical location 

    • Cells are hypoplastic (E.g. skin tags)


Classification of Neoplasms 

Characteristic

Benign 

Malignant 

Differentiation

Well differentiated 

Lack differentiation, variable anaplasia 

Growth rate

Slow 

Slow-rapid, erratic 

Recurrence 

Should not recur

High possibility of recurrence 

Local invasion 

Non-invasive, often capsulated 

Local invasion

Metastasis 

None

Frequent (definitive criterion)



Tumor Growth

  • Carcinomas and sarcomas tend to be firm, tan nodules 

  • Liver carcinomas look like the liver

  • Bone tumors produce bone 

  • Hemangiosarcomas are red, blood filled spaces 

    • Endothelial cells lining blood vessels 


Umbilication 

  • Cavitation 

    • Center part of tumor becomes necrotic, causing it to shrink in size

  • Rapidly growing neoplasms outgrow their blood supply and become necrotic 

  • Commonly seen in metastatic carcinomas



Round Cell Tumor

  • Usually leukocytes

  • Soft and may bulge from surface on cut section 

  • Lymphomas, Mast Cell Tumors, Plasmacytoma, Histiocytoma, TVT


Anaplasia and Cellular Atypia 

  • Anisocytosis: wide variation in cell size 

  • Pleomorphism: wide variation in cell shape 

  • Karyomegaly: large nuclear size

  • Anisokaryosis: wide variation in nuclear size 

  • Giant tumor cells 

  • Multinucleation 

  • Increased mitotic rate 

    • Normal for some layers of skin and the intestines 


Emperipolesis 

  • Cell passing through another cell 

    • E.g. neutrophil passing through epithelial cell


Carcinogenesis 

  • Initiator (polycyclic hydrocarbon

    • produces mutations in proto-oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes 

  • There needs to be constant promoter application (croton oil) for tumor formation to occur 


Multistep process

Initiation 

  • Non-reversible genetic change (mutations)

  • Has memory

  • Cannot cause neoplasia alone 


Promotion 

  • Induces neoplasia in induced cells 

  • Has no memory

  • Leads to benign tumors


Progression 

  • Epigenetic and genetic changes 

    • Accumulation of further mutations 

    • DNA methylation, history modifications, microRNA dysregulation 

  • Environmental factors 

    • Angiogenesis and tumor microenvironment support malignant changes 

  • Malignancy (end product)


Clonality and Heterogeneity 

  • Originally all cells clonal, derived from a single transformation cell

  • Accumulation of mutations in stepwise fashion overtime

    • Formation of sub clonal population= intratumoral heterogeneity

  • Clonal selection, tumor evolution 

    • Subclones with advantageous traits outcompete others 

    • Tumor evolved towards more aggressive, therapy-resistant forms 



Tumor Microenvironment 

Stromal and Parenchymal Interactions 

  • PDGF by tumor cells can lead to fibroblasts to proliferate 

  • Desmoplastic or scirrhous response (exaggerated response of the stroma= high amount of fibrous tissue)

    • Tumor cells embedded in dense collagen stroma 


Angiogenesis 

  • Tumors can't enlarge beyond 2mm in diameter without angiogenesis 

  • Angiogenic switch 

    • Neoplastic cells express pro-angiogenic factors 

    • Occurs during progression from benign to malignant 

  • Increase in VEGF

    • Downregulation of thrombospondin (anti-angiogenic) by tumors


Tumor immunity 

  • Tumor antigens: molecules that may be recognized by the immune system as foreign antigens 

    • Tumor specific antigens are restricted to tumor cells

    • Tumor associated antigens present both on tumor cells and normal cells, which can lead to the destruction of normal cells 


Antitumor Effector Mechanisms

  • Innate immune response 

    • NK cells

  • Adaptive immune response 

    • Cell-mediated response most important 

    • Cytotoxic T cells


Evasion of the Immune Response 

  • Altered MHC expression 

    • Loss of class I MHC down regulates CTLs response 

      • More susceptible to NK cell response as they can detect stress markers when MHC Class I is absent 

    • Loss of class II MHC down regulates Th response 

      • Less effective CTLs response 

  • Antigen masking 

    • Altered glycosylation or by binding to receptors to prevent immune recognition 

  • Tolerance

    • Decreased antigen presenting cells or promote immature APCs

    • Tregs may be involved 

  • Immunosuppression 

    • Fas ligand leads to apoptosis of T cells

    • TFG- produced by tumor cells immunosuppressive to lymphocytes and macrophages 


Metastasis 

  • Epithelial-mesenchymal transition 

    • Loosening of cell-cell contact

    • Inactivation of e-cadherin

  • Degradation of ECM

    • Mediated by proteases

    • MMPs and cathepsins 

  • Attachment to novel ECM components 

    • Caused by proteases

  • Migration of tumor cells

    • Intravasation 

    • Tumor emboli in lymphatic circulation 

    • Extravasation in new location and invasion into surrounding tissue 


Spread of neoplasms

Lymphatic spread

  • Primary route of carcinomas 

  • Regional lymph nodes affected first. 

  • Metastasis to regional lymph nodes indicates systemic spread has likely already occurred

Hematogenous spread

  • Primarily sarcomas but can happen with carcinomas 

  • Veins easier to invade than arteries 

  • Lungs and liver: vascular organs common sites of metastasis 

Transcoelomic spread 

  • Carcinomatosis: widespread dissemination of carcinoma across serosal surfaces, leading to the development of numerous small metastatic deposits.

    • Peritoneal and pleural cavities 

    • Common causes: Ovarian, gastrointestinal and lung cancers 

  • Neoplasms arising on the surface of an abdominal or thoracic structure encounter few anatomical barriers to spread


Neoplasia: Clinical Aspects

Direct Effects

  • Tumor cells cause damage based on 

    • Occupation of space

    • Location (E.g. Pedunculated lipomas are benign, but due to location are still able to kill the animal)


Indirect Effects

  • Paraneoplastic syndromes 

  • Tumor cell products 

    • Aberrant expression of molecules

    • Remote effects


Importance of paraneoplastic syndromes 

  • Recognition of syndromes helps diagnosis 

  • Need to treat both metabolic abnormalities and tumor to control the problem 

  • Monitoring abnormalities to help modify treatment 


Cachexia

  • Hyper catabolic state defined by a loss of muscle mass that cannot be explained by diminished food intake 

  • Inflammatory mediators: TNF-, IL-1, IL-6, prostaglandins 

Feline Hyperthyroidism

  • Elevated T3 and T4

  • Weight loss despite increased appetite 

  • Polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyuria (increased urination)

  • Tachycardia 

    • Cardiac hypertrophy 

  • Hypocalcemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism (increased PTH) as a response to hyperphosphatemia 


Pituitary Adenoma (Dog)

  • Functional corticotropin adenoma with compression of hypothalamus

  • ACTH secretion (overproduction)= bilateral adrenal cortical hyperplasia → Cushing’s Syndrome

Canine Pituitary-dependent Cushing’s Syndrome 

  • Excessive ACTH secretion 

  • Adrenal cortical hyperplasia= excessive cortisol 

    • Redistribution of fat

    • Ravenous appetite 

    • Muscle atrophy and pot belly

    • Endocrine dermatosis 

    • Steroid hepatopathy 

Equine Cushing’s- Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID)

  • Pituitary tumor (pars intermedia)

  • POMC and -MSH excessive secretion 

    • POMC is cleaved to produce ACTH and ⍺-MSH

  • Adrenal glands are unaffected 

  • Disruption of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis 

  • Causes hirsutism (excessive coarse hair growth)

Pancreatic Tumors

  • Insulinomas

  • Tumors of pancreatic islets β-cells

  • Hyperinsulinemia leading to severe hypoglycemia 

  • Neurologic signs and lethargy, incoordination, muscle weakness 

  • Other tumors can produce hypoglycemia 

Ectopic Hormone Production 

  • When non-endocrine neoplasms produce molecules that act as hormones 

  • Humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy

    • Anal sac adenocarcinoma 

    • Lymphoma 

    • Multiple myeloma (plasma cell tumor) → osteolysis leading to hypercalcalemia 

    • Caused by Parathyroid hormone related peptide (PTHrP)


Skeletal Syndromes 

  • Hypertrophic osteopathy

    • Extensive periosteal new bone growth in the limbs 

    • Secondary to underlying thoracic diseases, especially pulmonary neoplasia 

  • Myelofibrosis

    • Overgrowth of non-neoplastic fibroblasts in the bone marrow 

    • Result of neoplastic processes, including leukemia 

Vascular and Hematologic Syndromes 

  • Hyperviscosity syndrome

    • Multiple myeloma 

    • Excessive production of antibodies resulting in hyperproteinemia 

    • Neurological disorders, congestive heart failure, bleeding disorders 


Heritable Alterations in Cancer

Genetic Changes in Cancer

  • Point mutations 

  • DNA strand breaks 

  • insertions

  • Deletions

  • Frameshift mutation 

  • amplification

    • More than one copy of a DNA sequence 

  • Aneuploidy

    • Abnormal numbers of chromosomes 

  • Chromosomal instability 

    • Translocations: pieces of two separate chromosomes break off and reattach inappropriately 


Germline Mutations and Cancer Syndromes 

  • Germline mutations are heritable 

  • Hereditary multifocal renal cystadenocarcinoma and nodular dermatofibrosis of German Shepherds

  • BHD gene locus

  • MET germ-line mutation in rottweilers

    • Renal carcinoma 


Tumor site

Tumor type

Susceptible breeds

Hematopoietic system 

Lymphoma

Boxer

Histiocytic sarcoma

Bernese mountain dog, flat-coated retriever

Skin

Mast cell tumor

Boxer

Nervous system

Gliomas

Boston terrier, boxer, bulldog

Vasculature

Hemangiosarcoma

German shepherd, golden retriever, boxer

skeleton

osteosarcoma

Large/giant dog breeds

Urinary bladder

Transitional cell carcinoma 

Scottish terriers, beagle, collie 



Epigenetic Changes in Cancer

  • Heritable changes in gene expression 

  • Post translational changes 

    • Histone modification 

    • DNA methylation and acetylation 

  • Can be modulated 

  • Genomic imprinting 

  • Allele-specific expression of certain genes whereby only the maternal or paternal allele is expressed 


DNA Methylation 

  • Addition of a methyl group to the 5’ carbon of a cystine that is located immediately 5’ to guanine 

  • Essential for regulating gene expression in normal cells

  • Methyltransferase enzymes

  • Hypomethylation- gene activation 

  • Hypermethylation- gene silencing 

  • Cancer cells have aberrant methylation compared to normal cells 

    • Hypermethylation of promoter regions= silencing tumor suppressor genes, preventing transcription and disabling cell cycle checkpoints, DNA repair, and apoptosis 

    • LOI leading to abnormal growth


Histone Modification 

  • Euchromatin is accessible to transcription factors 

  • Heterochromatin is inaccessible to transcription factors 

  • Post-translational histone modifications alter DNA transcription 

    • Acetylation, methylation, and phosphorylation 

      • Histone-code: specific combination of histone modifications acts like a code to instruct the transcriptional machinery determining which genes are expressed, when and how much.

    • Determine which genes are expressed and at what level 


Noncoding RNAs and Cancer

  • Unregulated expression can contribute to cancer development 

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) post transcriptionally regulate genes, usually by blocking their expression 

  • MiRNAs bind target mRNAs that have a complementary sequence 

    • Degradation of their target mRNAs

    • Prevent translation of these mRNAs into proteins 

  • Pattern of miRNA expression is dysregulated in cancers by many mechanisms 

    • Altered pattern of their expression create extensive changes in cellular processes related to neoplasia 


Molecular Basis of Cancer

  • Driver mutations are primarily responsible for tumor development 

    • Involve tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes 


Oncogenes and Tumor Suppressor Genes

  • Growth-promoting proto-oncogenes 

    • Participate in signaling pathways during mitosis 

    • Mutated proto-oncogenes are called oncogenes 

  • Oncogenes can produce oncoprotein

    • Promote cell growth in the absence of normal signals 

    • Drive increased cancer cell proliferation 

  • Ras genes (oncoprotein)

    • Continued signaling to proliferate in the absence of appropriate growth factor binding 

  • Growth-inhibiting tumor suppressor genes  

  • Tp53 (p53)

  • Haploinsufficiency

    • One normal copy of a tumor suppressor is not enough to maintain homeostasis 

    • Can lead to tumor development 


TP53

  • Senses DNA damage and hypoxia as well as “oncogenic” stress (Excessive Myc or Ras activity)

  • Induces

    • Transient cell cycle arrest for DNA fix 

  • P21, GADD45 (repair)

  • Senescence 

    • Permanent withdrawal from cell cycle 

    • P21, stops cell cycle 

  • Apoptosis 

    • BAX activation 


Defects in DNA Repair

  • Mismatch repair enzymes proofread DNA to locate and fix single nucleotide mismatches that occur on a regular basis during normal DNA synthesis 

    • MLH1 and MSH2

  • Nucleotide excision repair (NER) requires a large cohort of DNA repair proteins 

    • Larger defects 

  • Defects in these can result in:

    • Increased mutational burden 

    • Genomic instability 

    • Higher chance of oncogene activation or tumor suppressor inactivation


Carcinogenic Agents 

Chemical 

Direct

  • Effective form in which they enter the body 

  • Alkylating agents 

  • Bracken fern in cattle 

    • Ptaquiloside 


Indirect

  • Procarcinogens that require metabolic activation by cellular enzymes 

  • Aflatoxin B1- found in moldy feed 

    • Animal hepatic cancers

    • G:C to T:A change in p53 gene leading to tumor development 

Radiation 

  • Complete carcinogen: initiator and promoter 

  • Ultraviolet 

  • Produces pyridine dimers in DNA

  • Corrected by nucleotide excision repair 

  • Melanoma —> Squamous cell carcinomas 

  • Those with lighter fur or at higher altitudes are more at risk 

  • Ionizing 

    • Forms breaks in DNA strands and eliminates bases 

    • X-rays, gamma rays

  • Both can have ROS


Oncogenic Viruses 

Dominant Oncogenes 

  • Go around the host’s tumor suppression system 

  • Feline sarcoma and retroviruses 

  • Papillomaviruses 

    • E6 and E7 inactivate p53


Insertional Mutagenesis

  • Viral genome inserts in host genome, displacing reading frames 

  • Avian leukosis virus 

    • Inserts before promoter regions of promo-oncogenes 

  • C-myc


Hit and Run

  • Transient residence of viral genome can also affect the host genome 

  • Virus not present in tumor, acts as an initiator 

  • Bovine papillomaviruses 


Indirect Mechanism 

  • Virus modulates how host immune system suppresses tumors 

  • Marek’s disease

    • Suppresses the ability of the host to eliminate transformed cells 

    • Kills lymphocytes in infection 

  • Shope fibroma virus 

  • Rabbit poxvirus

  • Encodes for EGF= cell proliferation 


Transmissible 

  • Transfer of intact neoplastic cells

  • Canine transmissible venereal tumor 

    • Benign 

    • Cure: vincristine 

  • Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease 

    • Malignant

    • Difficulty eating 

    • Conservational problems 


Cancer in Animals 

Natural disease

  • Virus induced 

  • Virus-induced cancer is not a large proportion of human cancers 


Animal model of cancer

  • Tools for understanding the cause of human cancer 

  • Experimentally induced 

    • Administration of carcinogenic substances 

  • Naturally occurring tumors 


Dog as model for human cancer

  • Incidence is comparable 

  • Both are outbred

  • Similar environment 

  • Tumors in dogs progress faster 

  • Dogs are larger than mice models, so there is abundant tissue for diagnosis and experiments 

  • More therapeutic approaches can be done in dogs compared to rodents 

  • Clinical trials are easier 


Experimentally induced tumors in animals 

  • Use of rodents 

  • Inbred 

    • Doesn’t reflect human genomic diversity 

  • Use of gene technology 

    • Transgene- gene introduce into mouse genome 

    • Knockout- a strain lacking a specific gene 

    • Conditional gene expression- modulate gene expression as required for studies