Abstract

Myelosupression resulting from chemotherapy has been widely described in veterinary medicine; however, there is limited information relating to alterations in neutrophil function after chemotherapy in dogs with cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the non-proliferative effects of vincristine, carboplatin, and cisplatin on canine neutrophils by evaluating activation of oxidative and non-oxidative responses. Neutrophils were isolated from venous blood. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) were measured in vitro during neutrophil exposure to these chemotherapeutic agents for 15 min followed by stimulation with platelet activating factor (PAF). ROS production was detected via luminescence, and MMP-9 liberation was determined by zymography. The chemotherapeutic agents caused an increase in PAF-induced ROS production, but no change in the non-oxidative response was observed. These results suggest that these chemotherapeutic agents may act as priming agents by increasing the oxidative response. These effects could be beneficial for dogs with cancer by supporting their immune systems; however, excessive ROS liberation has been associated with inflammation, neutrophil-mediated cell injury, carcinogenesis, and metastasis. Clinical studies are necessary to evaluate the significance of these findings.