Real-time Quantitative Analysis of E-cadherin Expression in ret/PTC-1-Activated Thyroid Neoplasms

• Published in: International journal of surgical pathology Vol. 9; no. 4; pp. 265 - 272
• Main Authors: Smyth, P., Sheils, O., Finn, S., Martin, C., O'Leary, J., Sweeney, E. C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA SAGE Publications 01-10-2001; Sage Publications, Inc; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Analysis; Cadherins - biosynthesis; Down-Regulation; Genetic aspects; Genetic research; Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (Phosphorylating) - metabolism; Humans; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion - metabolism; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Thyroid cancer; Thyroid Diseases - metabolism; Thyroid Neoplasms - metabolism; ret/PTC-1; papillary thyroid carcinoma; E-cadherin; Hashimoto thyroiditis
• ISSN: 1066-8969; 1940-2465
• DOI: 10.1177/106689690100900402

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), the most common variety of thyroid cancer, is found in a variety of morphologic variants, usually grows slowly, and is clinically indolent, although rare, aggressive forms, with local invasion or distant metastases, occur. Our group has previously demonstrated an association between Hashimoto thyroiditis and ret/PTC-1 activation, and have hypothesised that c-ret activation might be implicated in immune reaction to thyroid epithelium. The objective of this study was to examine expression of the cellular adhesion molecule, E-cadherin, in various thyroid tumor types and Hashimoto thyroiditis in the context of ret/PTC-1 positivity by using laser capture microdissection and TaqManTm reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Variable down-regulation of E-cadherin among carcinomas was demonstrated, with anaplastic carcinomas showing little or no expression. Follicular thyroid carcinomas consistently had significantly decreased E-cadherin expression compared with papillary thyroid carcinomas. The ret/PTC-1-positive papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTCret+) and Hashimoto thyroiditis cases had consistently lower Ecadherin expression levels than the corresponding ret/PTC-1-negative papillary carcinomas (PTCret-), suggesting not only an association between ret activation and the loss of cellular adhesion but also, more significantly, an association between papillary thyroid carcinoma and Hashimoto thyroiditis.