Sertolioma in a Canadian Husky: Relationship between Tumor, Hormones, Neurons and Skin

Background: Sertolioma is a slow-growing, non-invasive, firm and nodular tumor, malignant in 10% to 22% of cases and with low metastatic potential. Old age and cryptorchidism increase up to 26 times its chances of development and associates it with malignancy. Paraneoplastic syndrome, shown in 20% to 30% of the animals, is due to the aromatization of testosterone or the direct production of estrogen by tumor cells, leading to signs of feminization and bone marrow aplasia. The objective of this article is to report a case of sertolioma in a dog with dermatological characteristic symptoms, but presenting an unusual aggressive behavior, both completely reverted after castration.Case: A 9-year-old, uncastrated, aggressive and uncontrollable Canadian Husky dog was treated at the Institutional Veterinary Hospital with parapenial volume increase and generalized alopecia. A scrotal testis of reduced size and flaccid consistency and a mass in a parapenial region of 11 x 7.5 x 8 cm in diameter, with a cystic contour, adhered to the abdominal musculature and painless to palpation were detected. Cytology of the parapenial mass presented an image compatible with seminoma or sertolioma, and the preputial smear revealed a predominance of superficial cells. Ultrasound examination showed a heterogeneous inguinal mass, with expansive cystic area, compatible with mass in retained inguinal testis. Therapeutic course consisted of bilateral orchiectomy. Ectopic testis was firm to the cut, had whitish to yellowish coloration and was surrounded by a tunica containing 200 mL of serosanguinolent liquid. The histology of the mass revealed sertolioma-compatible cell characteristics, with cell proliferation circumvented by fibrous connective tissue forming poorly delimited lobes, moderate polymorphism with elongated cells, arranged in a palisade at the periphery of the lobes, vacuolated eosinophilic cytoplasm and vesiculous round nuclei. The unretained testicle revealed signs of atrophy. After surgery the patient showed a progressive improvement of the dermatological symptoms. However, what most caught the attention was the change in aggressive behavior, and fifteen days after surgery the animal was extremely docile and easily restrained during the clinical examination.Discussion: Hyperesthyrogenism due to sertolioma results from: 1) direct synthesis of estrogen by neoplastic tumor cells 2) increase in metabolism by central conversion (testicular cells) or peripheral hepatocytes, myocytes, adipocytes, hair follicles and neural tissue) androgens into estrogen through the aromatization of testosterone and 3) androgen and estrogen rate imbalance. Testosterone is considered responsible for the aggressive behavior in males, evidenced by the decrease of this behavior when the testicles are removed, and by the reinstallation of this behavior when the hormonal replacement is done. However, research on mice showed that estrogen-sensitive regulatory pathways also play a role in promoting this behavior. Although practically undetectable in male circulation, its presence stems from in vivo synthesis from the aromatization of testosterone, and it is this local estrogen, peripherally synthesized in the brain, that would be responsible for the control of dimorphic behaviors in males. The importance of the estrogen signaling pathway in aggression has also been reported in a study in knockout mice for estrogen receptors, in which males rarely exhibited aggressiveness. Such information is sufficient to support the hypothesis that the disappearance of the aggressiveness of the reported animal was obtained due to castration and correction of hyperestrogenism, showing the importance of including it as an important cause of aggressive behavior in uncastrated male dogs

Sertolioma in a Canadian Husky: Relationship between Tumor, Hormones, Neurons and Skin

Background: Sertolioma is a slow-growing, non-invasive, firm and nodular tumor, malignant in 10% to 22% of cases and with low metastatic potential. Old age and cryptorchidism increase up to 26 times its chances of development and associates it with malignancy. Paraneoplastic syndrome, shown in 20% to 30% of the animals, is due to the aromatization of testosterone or the direct production of estrogen by tumor cells, leading to signs of feminization and bone marrow aplasia. The objective of this article is to report a case of sertolioma in a dog with dermatological characteristic symptoms, but presenting an unusual aggressive behavior, both completely reverted after castration.Case: A 9-year-old, uncastrated, aggressive and uncontrollable Canadian Husky dog was treated at the Institutional Veterinary Hospital with parapenial volume increase and generalized alopecia. A scrotal testis of reduced size and flaccid consistency and a mass in a parapenial region of 11 x 7.5 x 8 cm in diameter, with a cystic contour, adhered to the abdominal musculature and painless to palpation were detected. Cytology of the parapenial mass presented an image compatible with seminoma or sertolioma, and the preputial smear revealed a predominance of superficial cells. Ultrasound examination showed a heterogeneous inguinal mass, with expansive cystic area, compatible with mass in retained inguinal testis. Therapeutic course consisted of bilateral orchiectomy. Ectopic testis was firm to the cut, had whitish to yellowish coloration and was surrounded by a tunica containing 200 mL of serosanguinolent liquid. The histology of the mass revealed sertolioma-compatible cell characteristics, with cell proliferation circumvented by fibrous connective tissue forming poorly delimited lobes, moderate polymorphism with elongated cells, arranged in a palisade at the periphery of the lobes, vacuolated eosinophilic cytoplasm and vesiculous round nuclei. The unretained testicle revealed signs of atrophy. After surgery the patient showed a progressive improvement of the dermatological symptoms. However, what most caught the attention was the change in aggressive behavior, and fifteen days after surgery the animal was extremely docile and easily restrained during the clinical examination.Discussion: Hyperesthyrogenism due to sertolioma results from: 1) direct synthesis of estrogen by neoplastic tumor cells 2) increase in metabolism by central conversion (testicular cells) or peripheral hepatocytes, myocytes, adipocytes, hair follicles and neural tissue) androgens into estrogen through the aromatization of testosterone and 3) androgen and estrogen rate imbalance. Testosterone is considered responsible for the aggressive behavior in males, evidenced by the decrease of this behavior when the testicles are removed, and by the reinstallation of this behavior when the hormonal replacement is done. However, research on mice showed that estrogen-sensitive regulatory pathways also play a role in promoting this behavior. Although practically undetectable in male circulation, its presence stems from in vivo synthesis from the aromatization of testosterone, and it is this local estrogen, peripherally synthesized in the brain, that would be responsible for the control of dimorphic behaviors in males. The importance of the estrogen signaling pathway in aggression has also been reported in a study in knockout mice for estrogen receptors, in which males rarely exhibited aggressiveness. Such information is sufficient to support the hypothesis that the disappearance of the aggressiveness of the reported animal was obtained due to castration and correction of hyperestrogenism, showing the importance of including it as an important cause of aggressive behavior in uncastrated male dogs

CONSEQÜÊNCIAS DA LAMINECTOMIA DORSAL DO TIPO FUNKQUIST A EM CÃES NORMAIS CONSEQUENCES OF THE FUNKQUIST A DORSAL LAMINECTOMY, IN NORMAL DOGS

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi verificar os efeitos da laminectomia dorsal do tipo Funkquist A em cães normais. A técnica realizada consistiu em abordagem dorsal à coluna vertebral; remoção (com ou sem a ajuda da elevação dos corpos vertebrais) das lâminas dorsais de T13 e L1; manutenção do ligamento supra-espinhal; colocação de gordura subcutânea como coxim supramedular; sutura da fáscia toracolombar, subcutâneo e pele; e bandagem compressiva por sete dias. Quarenta e oito horas após a cirurgia, todos os 10 cães submetidos a essa técnica exibiram perda das reações posturais e paresia de moderada a grave nos membros pélvicos. Hipoalgesia foi constatada em cinco deles. Tentando descobrir as causas, foram realizados estudos histológicos de medulas espinhais, coletadas 4 e 48 horas após a realização da laminectomia, porém com modificações como: não elevação dos corpos vertebrais durante a cirurgia e prevenção de qualquer tipo de compressão medular após a laminectomia. Analisando esses resultados, foi possível concluir que as disfunções neurológicas decorreram de lesões medulares ocasionadas possivelmente por: elevações dos corpos vertebrais durante a laminectomia, danificação de vasos espinhais, desestabilização da coluna vertebral e uma somatória de forças compressivas atuantes sobre a medula espinhal desprotegida. Na necropsia de cinco cães, acompanhados por quarenta e cinco dias, foi possível constatar: a permanência do ligamento supra-espinhal; que o enxerto de gordura não evita a penetração do tecido fibroso no canal vertebral nem sua aderência à dura- máter; notório (P< 0.01) achatamento do canal vertebral e deformação das medulas espinhais. Com base nos resultados, aconselha-se não realizar esses procedimentos cirúrgicos em cães acometidos de afeções medulares na junção toracolombar. A manutenção do ligamento supra-espinhal não perturba a realização da laminectomia, minimiza a ocorrência de defeitos estéticos na linha média dorsal e pode participar da compressão medular no pós-operatório imediato.<br>The purpose of this research was to check the effects of the Funkquist A dorsal laminectomy in normal dogs. The technique accomplished consisted in dorsal approach to the spine; removal of T13-L1 laminae with or without vertebral bodies elevation; mantainement of the supraspinous ligament; placement of subcutaneous fat as supramedulary pad; suture of thoracolumbar fascia, subcutaneous and skin; and compressive bandage for seven days. Fourty-eight hours latter all the dogs (10) submitted to this technique showed loss of the postural reactions and paraparesis classified of moderated to serious. Hypalgesia was ascertained in five of them. Trying to discover the causes, was accomplished histologic studies of spinal cord collected 4 and 48 hours after the accomplishment of the laminectomies were conducted, however with modifications as: non-elevation of the vertebral bodies during the surgery and prevention of any type of compression spinal after the laminectomie. Examining these results was possible to conclude that the neurologic dysfunctions were originated from cord lesions caused for: elevation of the vertebral bodies during the laminectomy, possible damage of spinal vessels, destabilization of the spine and a somatory of compressive forces acting upon an uncovered spinal cord. At the necropsy of five dogs realized forty - five days latter were possible to verify: the permanence of the supraspinous ligament; that the fat grafts do not avoid the penetration of the fibrous tissue into the vertebral canal neither its adherency to the dura mater; notorious (p < 0.01) flattening of the vertebral canal and deformations of the spinal cords. With support on these results, isn't advise to furfill these surgery procedure in the thoracolumbar junction of dogs. The mantainement of the supraspinatus ligament do not perturb the realization of the laminectomy, minimize the occurrence of the aesthetics defects at the dorsal midline and can participate at the immediate postoperative cord compression