Lab Anim Res.  2010 Jun;26(2):211-213.

Uterine Adenomyosis in Beagle Dogs

• Kim HS
• Kang SC
• Zhang HS
• Kang JS
• Kim JH
• Kim KH
• Kang BH
• Yoon BI

Abstract

Adenomyosis is a nonneoplastic hyperplastic lesion, characterized by invagination of proliferating endometrial glands into myometrium. In dogs, uterine adenomyosis is relatively rare and it is important in Toxicologic Pathology to differentiate other non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions in uterus. In the present study, we report two cases of adenomyosis in the female beagle dogs used for a chemical toxicity test. Clinically, one out of the two female beagle dogs, 15 months of age, had vaginal bleeding for 2 weeks and the other one, 11 months of age, showed swelling of vulva for a week. At necropsy, the weight of uterus was markedly increased to 27.9 g and 15.8 g, compared with the mean value (4.01+/-2.37, n=6) of that of other normal dogs, respectively. The parameters of hematology and serum chemistry were ranged normal in both of the dogs with enlarged uterus. For differentiation of connective tissue with muscle fibers, Van Gieson stain was also performed in the serial tissue sections. Histopathologically, the lesions of the enlarged uteruses were characterized by proliferating endometrial glands into myometrium, surrounded by connective tissue. The endometrial glands were proliferating downward to myometrium or embedded in multiple clustered glands in deeper myometrium without compressing the adjacent muscle fibers. The gland epithelial cells are uniformly cuboidal shape with a dense and bottom-located nucleus. These gross and histological findings were consistent with adenomyosis.

Keyword

Adenomyosis; endometrial hyperplasia; beagle; uterus

MeSH Terms

Adenomyosis
Animals
Connective Tissue
Dogs
Endometrial Hyperplasia
Epithelial Cells
Female
Hematology
Humans
Mice
Muscles
Myometrium
Toxicity Tests
Uterine Hemorrhage
Uterus
Vulva

Figure

• 

  Figure 1. Gross and microscopic findings of adenomyosis. The uteri of the dogs were markedly enlarged (A). Note the proliferating endometrial glands into myometrium (M) from endometrium (E, upper of line) (B). Some multiple clustered endometrial glands were also found with being embedded in deeper myometrium without compressing the adjacent muscle fibers (C). The glandular epithelial cells are uniformly cuboidal shape without cellular atypia. The glands were surrounded by connective tissue (deep red in D). H&E stain for B and C and Van Gieson stain for D. Bars=100 µm for C and D and 200 µm for B.

Reference

Bergeron C.., Amant F.., Ferency A.2006. Pathology and physiopathology of adenomyosis. Best Pract. Res. Clin. Obstet. Gynaecol. 20:511–521.

Bulman-Fleming J.2008. A rare case of uterine adenomyosis in a Siamese cat. Can. Vet. J. 49:709–712.

Graham K.J.., Hulst F.A.., Vogelnest L.., Fraser I.S.., Shilton C.M.2009. Uterine adenomyosis in an organ-utan (Pongo abelii/pygmaeus). Aust. Vet. J. 87:66–69.

Greaves P.1990. Histopathology of Preclinical Toxicity Studies: Interpretation and Relevance in Drug Safety Evaluation. 1st ed., pp. 638-639, Elsevier, Amsterdam.

Haschek W.M.., Rousseaux C.G.1998. Fundamentals of Toxicologic Pathology. 1^st ed., pp. 485-514, Academic Press, San Diego.

Hur H.M.., Jung J.Y.., Kang S.C.., Park D.S.., Bae J.H.., Kim J.H.2008. Uterine adenomyosis in a cat. J. Vet. Clin. 25:19–22.

Leininger J.R.., Jokinen M.P.1990. Pathology of the Fischer Rat. 1^st ed., pp. 443-459, Academic Press, London.

MacLachlan N.J.., Kennedy P.C.2002. Tumors in Domestic Animals. 4^th ed., pp. 547-573, Blackwell Publishing, Ames.

Nielsen S.W.., Kennedy P.C.1990. Tumors in Domestic Animals. 3^rd ed., pp. 479-517, University of California Press, London.

Otsuki Y.., Misaki O.., Sugimoto O., et al. 1994. Cyclic bcl-2 gene expression in human uterine endometrium during menstrual cycle. Lancet. 344:28–29.

Schlafer D.H.., Gifford A.T.2008. Cystic endometrial hyperplasia, pseudo-plancentational endometrial hyperplasia, and other cystic conditions of the canine and feline uterus. Theriogenology. 70:349–358.

Tamada H.., Kawate N.., Inaba T.., Kuwamura M.., maeda M.., Kajikawa T.., Sawada T.2005. Adenomyosis with severe inflammation in the uterine cervix in a dog. Can. Vet. J. 46:333–334.