title: Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in multinodular goiters: a possible pathogenetic factor.
abstract: In order to support previous in vitro studies which had stressed a possible autocrine role for Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in thyroid growth regulation, we have investigated the presence of IGF-1, as detected by means of radioimmuno assay and of immunocytochemistry, in thyrocytes from normal thyroid and from multinodular goiter. Our study revealed that IGF-1 is detectable in thyroid cells from multinodular goiter and, to a lesser extent, from normal thyroid. Both techniques used in this study demonstrated that thyrocytes are the site of accumulation of IGF-1 and that stromal cells contain lower amounts of this growth factor. The findings of the present study seem to suggest that thyrocytes could produce IGF-1 in vivo. This feature gives further support to the hypothesis that IGF-1 may regulate thyroid growth and therefore it might be involved in the pathogenesis of multinodular goiter.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathological Anatomy, University of Bari School of Medicine, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maiorano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ambrosi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giorgino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fersini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pollice
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciampolillo
mesh_terms: D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I