Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in twologgerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta

[摘要] ABSTRACT: We received 2 stranded loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) with squamous cell carcinomas to necropsy. The dead turtles had been collected in Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura in April 1994 and May 1997, respectively to determine thecause of death. One turtle had 3 ulcerated lesions in the dorsal part of the neck and several irregular masses in the lungs and kidneys. Histologic examination of lesions in the skin, lungs, kidneys, and ventricular myocardium revealed neoplasticproliferation of abnormal keratinocytes. Ultrastructural examination identified the tumoral cells as epithelial cells. The second turtle had 4 lesions in the skin of the head and flippers, and several irregular masses in the lungs, liver, and kidneys.Histological examination revealed a squamous cell carcinoma with metastases to muscle tissue, liver, lungs, and kidneys. Attempts to characterize the tumoral cells by immunohistochemistry using several monoclonal and polyclonal antisera against high andlow molecular weight cytokeratins from mammals, as well as vimentin and desmin, failed. Differences between reptilian keratins (mainly β-keratins) and mammalian keratins (mainly α-keratins) couldexplain this absence of immunoreactivity. This is the first description of squamous cell carcinoma in sea turtles.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）

[关键词] Squamous cell carcinoma;Loggerhead turtle;Caretta caretta;Sea turtle;Reptile;Immunohistochemistry