Semi-quantitative comparison of the differentiation markers and sodium iodide symporter messenger ribonucleic acids in papillary thyroid carcinomas using RT-PCR.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the levels of expression of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) and three differentiation markers (thyroglobulin (Tg), thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and thyrotrophin receptor (TSH-R)) in 35 patients with primary (n=31) or recurrent (n=4) papillary thyroid carcinoma, and to compare the findings with clinical data.


METHODS
We performed a multiplex semi-quantitative RT-PCR to analyse the relative levels of expression of Tg, TPO and TSH-R mRNAs, and a separate semi-quantitative RT-PCR for NIS mRNA.


RESULTS
Tg, TPO and TSH-R mRNAs were expressed in all the patients, whereas NIS mRNA was expressed in all but eight. Analysis of the expression of the differentiation markers in all patients showed a significant correlation among Tg, TPO and NIS. With regard to the relationship between the expression of each gene and the MACIS score, there was significant correlation only for the Tg gene (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The levels of expression of NIS mRNA correlated significantly with those of Tg and TPO mRNAs, but not with those of TSH-R mRNA. The relationship with clinical stage and prognostic score, however, varied among these differentiation markers.
Tanaka
K
K
Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, 701-0192, Japan. tanakaka@med.kawasaki-m.ac.jp
Otsuki
T
T
Sonoo
H
H
Yamamoto
Y
Y
Udagawa
K
K
Kunisue
H
H
Arime
I
I
Yamamoto
S
S
Kurebayashi
J
J
Shimozuma
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D027981:Symporters; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000235:genetics; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099209:Sodium-Iodide Symporters
D015415:Biomarkers; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin; D027981:Symporters; D013954:Thyroglobulin; D000099209:Sodium-Iodide Symporters