1
|
Li J, An C, Zheng H, Lei T, Zhang N, Zheng Y, Yang M. Leukocyte Telomere Length and Risk of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019; 104:2712-2718. [PMID: 30817819 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2018-02471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Telomere length may contribute to predisposition to papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). OBJECTIVE To test this hypothesis, we examined the association between leukocyte telomere length and PTC risk. DESIGN/SETTING Case-control study in a Chinese Han population. PARTICIPANTS/INTERVENTION A total of 1200 PTC cases and 1201 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in the study. ORs and 95% CIs were calculated by logistic regression. RESULTS Short relative telomere length (RTL) was significantly associated with elevated risk of PTC (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.35 to 1.92; P = 1.30 × 10-7). Interestingly, when individuals were categorized into four groups on the basis of quartile distribution of relative telomere length (RTL) in controls, we observed a reverse U-shaped association between telomere length and PTC risk. Compared with those in the first (the longest) quartile as the reference group, ORs (95% CIs) were 5.61 (4.04 to 7.78) (P = 6.10 × 10-25), 9.33 (6.78 to 12.83) (P = 6.99 × 10-43), and 1.23 (0.83 to 1.81) (P = 0.300) for individuals in the second, third, and fourth (the shortest) quartiles, respectively. This reverse U-shaped relationship was more apparent in younger individuals. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that RTL is significantly associated with susceptibility to PTC. There is an obvious reverse U-shaped association between telomere length and PTC risk. Telomere length may be a potential pronouncing biomarker to identify individuals with a high risk of developing PTC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji Li
- School of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Jinan-Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Shandong Cancer Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Changming An
- Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Haitao Zheng
- Yuhuangding Hospital affiliated to Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong Province, China
| | - Tianshui Lei
- School of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Jinan-Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Shandong Cancer Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Nasha Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Shandong Cancer Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Shandong Cancer Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Shandong Cancer Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Grob F, Deladoëy J, Legault L, Spigelblatt L, Fournier A, Vassart G, Van Vliet G. Autonomous adenomas caused by somatic mutations of the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor in children. Horm Res Paediatr 2015; 81:73-9. [PMID: 24480816 DOI: 10.1159/000357143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In adults, autonomous adenomas of the thyroid causing hyperthyroidism are relatively common and are most often due to somatic mutations that increase the constitutive activity of the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR). By contrast, autonomous adenomas in hyperthyroid children are exceptional and reports of their clinical and molecular characteristics are few. We reviewed papers describing 16 autonomous adenomas due to a somatic mutation activating the TSHR and diagnosed in patients younger than 18 years, to which we added two of our own unpublished observations in a 4- and 8-year-old with the same TSHR mutation (c.CAG>CAC; p.Asp633His). This revealed that (a) autonomous adenomas occur more often in the right lobe (11 of 14 with available information) and the associated hyperthyroidism tends to be more severe, possibly reflecting the richer vascular supply of the right thyroid lobe, and (b) mutations found in benign adenomas in children have been associated with cancer in adults, suggesting that malignancy requires a second 'hit' at a later age.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Grob
- Endocrinology Service and Research Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Que., Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Soares P, Lima J, Preto A, Castro P, Vinagre J, Celestino R, Couto JP, Prazeres H, Eloy C, Máximo V, Sobrinho-Simões M. Genetic alterations in poorly differentiated and undifferentiated thyroid carcinomas. Curr Genomics 2012; 12:609-17. [PMID: 22654560 PMCID: PMC3271313 DOI: 10.2174/138920211798120853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2011] [Revised: 08/29/2011] [Accepted: 08/30/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid gland presents a wide spectrum of tumours derived from follicular cells that range from well differentiated, papillary and follicular carcinoma (PTC and FTC, respectively), usually carrying a good prognosis, to the clinically aggressive, poorly differentiated (PDTC) and undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma (UTC).It is usually accepted that PDTC and UTC occur either de novo or progress from a pre-existing well differentiated carcinoma through a multistep process of genetic and epigenetic changes that lead to clonal expansion and neoplastic development. Mutations and epigenetic alterations in PDTC and UTC are far from being totally clarified. Assuming that PDTC and UTC may derive from well differentiated thyroid carcinomas (WDTC), it is expected that some PDTC and UTC would harbour genetic alterations that are typical of PTC and FTC. This is the case for some molecular markers (BRAF and NRAS) that are present in WDTC, PDTC and UTC. Other genes, namely P53, are almost exclusively detected in less differentiated and undifferentiated thyroid tumours, supporting a diagnosis of PDTC or, much more often, UTC. Thyroid-specific rearrangements RET/PTC and PAX8/PPARγ, on the other hand, are rarely found in PDTC and UTC, suggesting that these genetic alterations do not predispose cells to dedifferentiation. In the present review we have summarized the molecular changes associated with the two most aggressive types of thyroid cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Soares
- Institute of Pathology and Molecular Immunology, University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Capezzone M, Marchisotta S, Cantara S, Pacini F. Telomeres and thyroid cancer. Curr Genomics 2009; 10:526-33. [PMID: 20514214 PMCID: PMC2817883 DOI: 10.2174/138920209789503897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2009] [Revised: 06/26/2009] [Accepted: 06/29/2009] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are specialized structures at the ends of chromosomes, consisting of hundreds of repeated hexanucleotides (TTAGGG)n. Genetic integrity is partly maintained by the architecture of telomeres and it is gradually lost as telomeres progressively shorten with each cell replication, due to incomplete lagging DNA strand synthesis and oxidative damage. Telomerase is a reverse transcriptase enzyme that counteracts telomere shortening by adding telomeric repeats to the G-rich strand. It is composed of a telomerase RNA component and a protein component, telomerase reverse transcriptase. In the absence of telomerase or when the activity of the enzyme is low compared to the replicative erosion, apoptosis is triggered. Patients who have inherited genetic defects in telomere maintenance seem to have an increased risk of developing familial benign diseases or malignant diseases. At the somatic level, telomerase is reactivated in the majority of human carcinomas, suggesting that telomerase reactivation is a critical step for cancerogenesis.In sporadic thyroid carcinoma telomerase activity is detectable in nearly 50% of thyroid cancer tissues and some authors proposed that the detection of telomerase activity may be used for differentiating between benign and malignant thyroid tumours. Recently a germline alteration of telomere-telomerase complex has been identified in patients with familial papillary thyroid cancer, characterized by short telomeres and increased expression and activity of telomerase compared to patients with sporadic papillary thyroid cancer.In this report, we will review the role of telomere-telomerase complex in sporadic and familial thyroid cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Furio Pacini
- Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism and Biochemistry, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hébrant A, Van Sande J, Roger PP, Patey M, Klein M, Bournaud C, Savagner F, Leclère J, Dumont JE, van Staveren WCG, Maenhaut C. Thyroid gene expression in familial nonautoimmune hyperthyroidism shows common characteristics with hyperfunctioning autonomous adenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2009; 94:2602-9. [PMID: 19383781 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2008-2191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Dominant activating mutations of the TSH receptor are the cause of familial nonautoimmune hyperthyroidism (FNAH) (inherited mutations affecting the whole gland since embryogenesis) and the majority of hyperfunctioning autonomous adenomas (AAs) (somatic mutations affecting only one cell later in the adulthood). OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was defining the functional and molecular phenotypes of FNAH and comparing them with the ones of AA. DESIGN Functional phenotypes were determined in vitro and molecular phenotypes by hybridization on microarray slides. PATIENTS Nine patients with FNAH were investigated, six for functional in vitro study of the tissue and five for gene expression. RESULTS Iodide metabolism, H(2)O(2), cAMP, and inositol phosphate generation in FNAH slices stimulated or not with TSH were normal. The mitogenic response of cultured FNAH thyrocytes to TSH was normal but more sensitive to the hormone. Gene expression profiles of FNAH and AAs showed that among 474 genes significantly regulated in FNAH, 93% were similarly regulated in AAs. Besides, 783 genes were regulated only in AAs. Bioinformatic analysis pointed out common down-regulations of genes involved in immune response, cell/cell and cell/matrix adhesions, and apoptosis. Pathways up-regulated only in AAs mainly involve diverse biosyntheses. These results are consonant with the larger growth of AAs than FNAH tissues. CONCLUSIONS Whether hereditary or somatic after birth, activating mutations of the TSH receptor have the same qualitative consequences on the thyroid cell phenotype, but somatic mutations in AAs have a much stronger effect than FNAH mutations. Both are variants of one disease: genetic hyperthyroidism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aline Hébrant
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, School of Medicine, Free University of Brussels, campus Erasme, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Nagasaka A, Oda N, Nakai A, Hotta K, Nagata M, Kato T, Suzuki A, Itoh M, Miura H, Hakuta M, Yoshida S, Hibi Y, Iwase K. Thyroglobulin may affect telomerase activity in thyroid follicular cells. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2008; 24:524-30. [PMID: 18830915 DOI: 10.1080/14756360802218920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomerase (TA) activity is known to be present in malignant tumor cells, but not in most somatic differentiated cells. TA shows relatively high activity in thyroid cancer cells, but reports vary. This fact prompted us to elucidate whether cell component inhibitors of TA in the thyroid follicles can modulate its activity. The activity of TA extracted from Hela cells was inhibited by mixing with the supernatant fraction of human thyroid tissue extract. To examine the effect of iodine, thyroid hormones (l-T3 and l-T4) and human thyroglobulin (hTg) contained in the thyroid follicles, l-T3, l-T4 and hTg were added to the TRAP assay system in vitro, using TA from Hela cells. Iodine, l-T3 and l-T4 did not affect TA activity, but hTg inhibited the TA activity in a dose-dependent manner (IC(50) of hTg: ca 0.45 microM: inhibiting concentration of hTg was from 0.15 microM to 3.0 microM). The hTg inhibition was not evident in the RT-PCR system, suggesting no effect of hTg on Taq DNA polymerase activity. The hTg inhibition of TA activity was attenuated by dNTP but not significantly by TS primer. These data suggest that hTg contained in thyroid follicular cells of various thyroid diseases may affect the TA activity measured in biopsied thyroid specimens, and that the reduction of the TA activity by hTg may induce slow progression and growth, and low grade malignancy of thyroid cancer, particularly differentiated carcinoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akio Nagasaka
- Department of Internal Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ringel MD. Diagnostic molecular markers in thyroid cancer. Cancer Treat Res 2005; 122:295-316. [PMID: 16209052 DOI: 10.1007/1-4020-8107-3_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The use of molecular assays to analyze clinical tissues in the diagnosis and management of thyroid cancer, similar to other tumors, will likely allow for more accurate characterization of the aggressiveness of individual tumors and may allow for the early diagnosis of recurrence. The application of these methods to thyroid nodules and nodal metastases is less encumbered by difficulties arising from amplification of transcripts in non-thyroid cells. For these tissues, these assays are likely to be used clinically in the near-future. New data arising from cDNA arrays identifying novel markers of malignancy or tumor aggressiveness make this a growing area of interest. The use of molecular assays in diagnosing distant metastases is more problematic due to issues with ectopic expression of either full length or splice variants of genes thought to be thyroid-specific. Assay quantitation is a complex problem owing to variability in the level of expression of "housekeeping" genes and the variety of phlebotomy and RT-PCR methods reported. Additional research in this area is clearly required before a recommendation can be given regarding clinically applicability of these tests.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Ringel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Preto A, Cameselle-Teijeiro J, Moldes-Boullosa J, Soares P, Cameselle-Teijeiro JF, Silva P, Reis-Filho JS, Reyes-Santías RM, Alfonsín-Barreiro N, Forteza J, Sobrinho-Simões M. Telomerase expression and proliferative activity suggest a stem cell role for thyroid solid cell nests. Mod Pathol 2004; 17:819-26. [PMID: 15044923 DOI: 10.1038/modpathol.3800124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Solid cell nests of the human thyroid gland are composed of main cells and C cells. In order to investigate the putative stem cell nature of the role for solid cell nests, we evaluated the histological features, and the immunohistochemical expression of p63, bcl-2, telomerase catalytic subunit, and two proliferative markers (Ki-67 and minichromosome maintenance protein 2), in a series of 24 cases of solid cell nests. Proliferative indices were determined in (a) solid cell nests, (b) thyroid follicular cells in the vicinity of solid cell nests within a low-power field, and (c) distant thyroid tissue, at a distance of at least three low-power fields from solid cell nests. In 15 cases of solid cell nests (62.5%), mixed follicles were observed; papillary formations were observed in four cases (16.6%), and ciliated cells were observed in the lining of microcysts associated with two cases (8.3%). Salivary gland-type tissue, cartilage islands, adipose and fibrous tissues, and small nerves were also associated with some cases of solid cell nests. We observed that the main cells of the solid cell nests express consistently telomerase, although at lower levels than p63, and show strong cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for bcl-2, which is associated with an increased differentiation potential. We also observed that despite their relative low proliferative index, main cells of the solid cell nests display higher proliferation than follicular cells in the vicinity and follicular cells in more distant thyroid tissue. We conclude that main cells of the solid cell nests apparently harbor the minimal properties of a stem cell phenotype (capacity for both self-renewal, conferred by telomerase activity, and differentiation to one or more than one type of specialized cells, given by the high expression of p63 and bcl-2) and may thus represent a pool of stem cells of the adult thyroid.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Preto
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Straight AM, Patel A, Fenton C, Dinauer C, Tuttle RM, Francis GL. Thyroid carcinomas that express telomerase follow a more aggressive clinical course in children and adolescents. J Endocrinol Invest 2002; 25:302-8. [PMID: 12030599 DOI: 10.1007/bf03344009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
With each cell division, DNA is lost from the telomeres, limiting the number of divisions, and leading to senescence. Malignant tumors maintain immortality by expressing a specific DNA repair enzyme, telomerase, that replaces this DNA. We hypothesized that tumors which express telomerase would have the highest recurrence risk and we tested this by determining telomerase expression in 27 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC), 5 follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTC) and 13 benign thyroid lesions from children and adolescents. Patients were 6-21 yr of age (mean+/-SE=16.6+/-4.1 yr) and followed from 0-14.1 yr (mean+/-SE=4.71+/-3.5 yr). Original tumors were sectioned, and immunostained for telomerase. Telomerase-specific staining was determined by two independent, blind examiners and graded from absent (Grade 0) to intense (Grade 3). Telomerase was detected in a similar majority of benign (11/13, 85%) and malignant tumors (24/32, 75%). However, the intensity of telomerase expression was greater among FTC (mean+/-SE=2.4+/-0.5 relative intensity) followed by PTC (mean+/-SE=1.9+/-1.0 relative intensity) and benign tumors (mean+/-SE=1.8+/-1.0 relative intensity). Autoimmune lesions had lower telomerase expression (mean+/-SE=1.25+/-0.5 relative intensity) compared to FTC (p=0.01), PTC (p=0.06) and benign lesions (p=0.15). Among PTC, 19 (70%) expressed telomerase, and 8 (30%) did not. Direct invasion (no.=4, 21%), distant metastasis (no.=2, 10%) and recurrence (no.=7, 37%) developed exclusively in PTC that expressed telomerase (p=0.02). Disease-free survival was also shorter for PTC that expressed telomerase (p=0.06). Recurrence developed in 1/2 (50%) FTC that expressed telomerase. We conclude that childhood thyroid cancers which express telomerase have an increased risk of tissue invasion, metastasis, and recurrence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A M Straight
- Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Matthews P, Jones CJ, Skinner J, Haughton M, de Micco C, Wynford-Thomas D. Telomerase activity and telomere length in thyroid neoplasia: biological and clinical implications. J Pathol 2001; 194:183-93. [PMID: 11400147 DOI: 10.1002/path.848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Despite several recent studies, the biological status and clinical relevance of telomerase expression in tumours derived from the thyroid follicular cell remain controversial. This study has analysed a series of normal, benign, and malignant thyroid samples using two novel approaches: the use of purified epithelial cell fractions to eliminate false-positives due to telomerase-positive infiltrating lymphocytes; and the simultaneous measurement of telomere length to provide a clearer interpretation of telomere dynamics in thyroid neoplasia. The data obtained support the prediction that the epithelial component of non-neoplastic thyroid and of follicular adenomas is telomerase-negative, any positive results being explicable by lymphocyte infiltration. In contrast, many malignant tumours, both follicular and papillary, were telomerase-positive. However, serial dilution of extracts indicated a wide spectrum of activity in these cancers, possibly related to variation in the proportion of telomerase-positive cells. Furthermore, an unexpectedly high proportion were telomerase-negative, a finding which was not explicable by technical problems such as TRAP (telomeric repeat amplification protocol) assay sensitivity. Many of these apparently telomerase-negative tumours had abnormally long telomeres. Correlation of telomerase and telomere length data suggests that thyroid cancers fall into three biological groups: telomerase-positive lesions, consistent with the conventional model of telomere erosion followed by telomerase reactivation; telomerase-negative tumours, which maintain telomere length by a mechanism independent of telomerase; and telomerase-negative tumours which are still undergoing telomere erosion and may therefore be composed of mortal cancer cells. From a clinical standpoint, it is concluded that telomerase detection on unfractionated tissue, such as fine needle aspirates, is of no value as a marker of malignancy in follicular lesions, due to both low sensitivity and specificity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Matthews
- Department of Pathology, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Bidot P, Morgan M, Zhukov T, Tannenbaum M, Tockman MS. Loss of heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein A(2)/B(1) expression in thyroid neoplasms. Endocr Pract 2001; 7:157-61. [PMID: 11421561 DOI: 10.4158/ep.7.3.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether a difference exists in the immunohistochemical expression of heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A(2)/B(1) between benign and malignant thyroid lesions and to assess whether a gradient of expression could be found in normal thyroid, adenomas, and thyroid malignant tumors. METHODS Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival tissues from 32 cases (8 nodular goiters, 8 follicular adenomas, 8 follicular carcinomas, and 8 papillary carcinomas) were immunostained with monoclonal antibody 703D4, directed against hnRNP A(2)/B(1), applied at a concentration of 10 microg/mL. The streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method was used to label bound monoclonal antibody. Positivity was independently scored by two pathologists, who used a three-tiered scale. RESULTS The benign thyroid tissues, including the hyperplastic and adenomatous lesions, demonstrated 3+ granular cytoplasmic staining for hnRNP A(2)/B(1), except in two cases (one nodular goiter and one follicular adenoma) in which 2+ staining intensity was noted. In contrast, the papillary and follicular carcinomas failed to stain with the antibody, except in two cases that showed weak (1+) staining. CONCLUSION hnRNP A(2)/B(1) immunostaining appears to distinguish benign from malignant thyroid lesions. Loss of hnRNP A(2)/B(1) expression seems to be a characteristic feature of thyroid malignant lesions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Bidot
- University of South Florida College of Medicine, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|