[The expression of G proteins alpha-subunit mRNA in different thyroid diseases].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of G proteins alpha subunit mRNA in different thyroid diseases.


METHODS
Twenty-three thyroid specimens were obtained during surgery, 5 from patients with Graves' disease (GD), 7 from patients with multinodular goiter (MNG), 6 from patients with eufunctioning thyroid adenoma (EFTA) and 5 from patients with thyroid papillary cancer (TPC). The expression of stimulating and inhibiting G proteins alpha subunit mRNA were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
(1) The expression of G(s)alpha mRNA in TPCs (1.67 +/- 0.25) was significantly higher than that in normal thyroids (1.10 +/- 0.14) and MNGs (0.96 +/- 0.31), P < 0.05 and P < 0.01. The expression in GDs (1.47 +/- 0.11) and EFTAs (1.36 +/- 0.28) was significantly higher than that in MNGs (P < 0.05), but comparable to that in normal thyroids. (2) The expression of G(i)alpha-2 mRNA in GDs (0.68 +/- 0.26) was lower than that in MNGs (1.15 +/- 0.35), P < 0.05, but there was no difference in the expression of G(i)alpha-1 and G(i)alpha-3 mRNA among different thyroid diseases.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicated that G(s)alpha could play an important role in the pathogenesis of thyroid papillary cancer and G proteins had different expression in different thyroid diseases.
Lü
Zhao-hui
ZH
Department of Endocrinology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China. lzh_01@netease.com
Luo
Guo-chun
GC
Lu
Ju-ming
JM
Pan
Chang-yu
CY
D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000378:metabolism; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins