Differential oncogenic expression in thyroid follicular and Hürthle cell carcinomas.
Although Hürthle cell tumors are considered to be variants of follicular neoplasms, they have distinct cytologic and behavioral characteristics. To elucidate the basis for these differences, the expression of 5 oncogenes and growth factors (Pan-ras, N-myc, transforming growth factor-alpha [TGF-alpha], transforming growth factor-beta [TGF-beta], and insulin-like growth factor 1 [IGF-1]) was compared between 12 follicular carcinomas and 8 Hürthle cell carcinomas by immunocytochemistry. The percentage of follicular carcinomas and Hürthle cell carcinomas that stained positively for the different oncogenes was as follows and respectively: Pan-ras 8% versus 63%; TGF-alpha 17% versus 63%; TGF-beta 25% versus 88%; IGF-1 17% versus 88%; and N-myc 17% versus 100%. All these differences were highly significant by the chi 2 test. This difference in the expression of oncogenes between Hürthle cell carcinomas and follicular carcinomas suggests that these two tumors could, in fact, represent separate entities.
Masood
S
S
Department of Surgery, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York 11042.
Auguste
L J
LJ
Westerband
A
A
Belluco
C
C
Valderama
E
E
Attie
J
J
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000032:analysis; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000032:analysis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000032:analysis; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis
D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; C501009:HRAS protein, human; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)