Increased expression of focal adhesion kinase in thyroid cancer: immunohistochemical study.
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a tyrosine kinase that is found in cellular structures called focal adhesions. FAK appears to be a key element in signal transduction pathways involved in cell adhesion and locomotion. FAK is overexpressed in various tumors, including tumors derived from regions of the head and neck, colon, breast, prostate, and liver. In this study, we investigated immunohistochemically whether FAK expression was increased in thyroid cancers. FAK staining was not seen in any of the 20 normal thyroid tissues or the 6 nodular hyperplasia specimens. In contrast, FAK staining was observed in all of 17 papillary carcinomas, 9 follicular carcinomas, 8 medullary carcinomas, and 2 anaplastic carcinomas. Nine of 17 follicular adenomas showed FAK immunoreactivity. FAK was not expressed in normal tissue and nodular hyperplasia, but was expressed in some of the follicular adenoma, and all of the follicular, papillary, medullary and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. This result indicates that the up-regulation of FAK may play a role in the development of thyroid carcinogenesis.
Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Chunan, Korea. ksj1113@schch.co.kr.
Sang Jin
SJ
Kim
Jin Woo
JW
Park
Ji Sung
JS
Yoon
Ji O
JO
Mok
Yeo Joo
YJ
Kim
Hyeong Kyu
HK
Park
Chul Hee
CH
Kim
Dong Won
DW
Byun
Yong Jin
YJ
Lee
So Young
SY
Jin
Kyo Il
KI
Suh
Myung Hi
MH
Yoo
D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C496050:PTK2 protein, human