Ret and trk proto-oncogene activation in thyroid papillary carcinomas in French patients from the Champagne-Ardenne region.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the presence of ret and trk proto-oncogene rearrangements in thyroid tumors.


METHODS
High-molecular-weight DNA was extracted from 36 thyroid tumors (1 multinodular goiter, 14 follicular adenomas, 16 papillary carcinomas, 1 lymph node metastasis of a papillary carcinoma, 1 follicular carcinoma, and 3 medullary carcinomas) and 22 adjacent tissues. Southern blot analysis was performed after digestion with EcoR1 or BamH1, using specific probes for ret and trk.


RESULTS
Only 2 ret rearrangements were found in 2 papillary carcinomas (overall frequency: 6%; papillary carcinoma frequency: 13%). All normal or tumor samples were negative for the presence of a trk rearrangement.


CONCLUSIONS
The previous data from the literature are highly conflicting, ranging from 0 to 30% of activation. Our results could be, therefore, classified as medium between these extreme values. It seems, therefore, that genetic and/or geographical factors could play a role in ret and trk proto-oncogene activation.
Delvincourt
C
C
Institut Jean Godinot, Reims, France.
Patey
M
M
Flament
J B
JB
Suarez
H G
HG
Larbre
H
H
Jardillier
J C
JC
Delisle
M J
MJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020917:Receptor, trkA; C416649:Ret protein, Drosophila