title: Structure and expression of c-myc and c-fos proto-oncogenes in thyroid carcinomas.
abstract: Tumour specimens from 23 patients with thyroid carcinoma, 22 patients with thyroid adenoma, 3 with Graves' disease, and tissues from 8 normal thyroid glands were analyzed by Southern blot hybridization for the physical state of c-myc and c-fos proto-oncogenes. In 4 patients, both the primary tumour and lymph node metastases were analyzed. No amplification or rearrangement of the two proto-oncogenes was detected. Total RNAs were also analyzed. Elevated levels of the 2.4 kb c-myc RNA and of the 2.2 kb c-fos RNA were found in 13/23 (57%) and 14/23 (61%) of the cancer patients, respectively. High levels of c-myc transcripts were more frequently found in thyroid carcinomas with unfavourable prognosis. Concomitant elevated levels of both c-myc and c-fos RNAs were found in 8 cancers. High levels of c-myc RNA were also found in 1 out of 22 specimens of adenoma, in 1 specimen of Graves' disease and in 2 normal thyroid glands. High levels of c-fos RNA were found in 20 of the 22 adenoma samples and in 2 out of 8 normal thyroid tissues. These data indicate that the overexpression of c-myc and c-fos genes is independent of an alteration of the loci. The high levels of c-fos found in adenoma may be associated with the differentiation state of these tumours.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Clinique et Moléculaire, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Terrier
authors.forename: Z M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlumberger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tubiana
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caillou
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Travagli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fragu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parmentier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riou
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002648:Child; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000032:analysis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012334:RNA, Neoplasm