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Gene expression of thyroid-specific transcription factors may help diagnose thyroid lesions but are not determinants of tumor progression.
- Source :
-
Journal of endocrinological investigation [J Endocrinol Invest] 2016 Apr; Vol. 39 (4), pp. 423-9. Date of Electronic Publication: 2015 Sep 14. - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Purpose: The role of thyroid-specific transcription factors in thyroid malignancy is still poorly understood, so we investigate thyroid-specific transcription factors gene expression both in benign and in malignant thyroid nodules, aiming to study a possible clinical utility of these molecules.<br />Methods: We quantified TTF-1, FOXE1 and PAX8 mRNA levels, relating their expression to diagnostic and prognostic features of thyroid tumors. RNA was extracted from 4 normal thyroid tissues, 101 malignant [99 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) and 2 anaplastic thyroid carcinomas] and 99 benign thyroid lesion tissues [49 goiter and 50 follicular adenomas (FA)].<br />Results: Levels of mRNA of both FOXE1 (P < 0.0001) and PAX8 (P < 0.0001) genes, but not TTF-1 (P = 0.7056), were higher in benign than in malignant thyroid lesions. FOXE1 was able to identify malignant nodules with 75.8 % sensitivity, 76.1 % specificity, 75.8 % positive predictive value, 76.1 % negative predictive value and 75.9 % accuracy. PAX8 was able to identify malignancy with 60.6 % sensitivity, 81.1 % specificity, 76.9 % positive predictive value, 66.4 % negative predictive value and 70.6 % accuracy. Both FOXE1 and PAX8 gene expression patterns were also able to differentiate FA from the follicular variant of PTC-FVPTC. However, the investigated gene expression was neither associated with any clinical feature of tumor aggressiveness nor associated with recurrence or survival.<br />Conclusions: We suggest that FOXE1 and PAX8 gene expression patterns may help to diagnose thyroid nodules, identifying malignancy and characterizing follicular-patterned thyroid lesions, but are not determinants of thyroid tumor progression.
- Subjects :
- Adenocarcinoma, Follicular genetics
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Biomarkers, Tumor genetics
Carcinoma, Papillary genetics
Case-Control Studies
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Staging
Prognosis
RNA, Messenger genetics
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Thyroid Neoplasms genetics
Thyroid Nodule genetics
Transcription Factors
Young Adult
Adenocarcinoma, Follicular diagnosis
Carcinoma, Papillary diagnosis
DNA-Binding Proteins genetics
Forkhead Transcription Factors genetics
PAX8 Transcription Factor genetics
Thyroid Neoplasms diagnosis
Thyroid Nodule diagnosis
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1720-8386
- Volume :
- 39
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of endocrinological investigation
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 26370671
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-015-0386-4