[Expressions of wildtype-RET and RET/PTC rearrangements in sporadic adult papillary thyroid carcinoma and their clinicopathologic correlation].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the expressions of wildtype-RET (WT-RET) and RET/PTC in sporadic adult papillary thyroid carcinoma and to investigate their clinicopathologic correlation.


METHODS
Sixty-six papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) and thirty-six control cases with frozen and paraffin-embedded tissues were analyzed for the expressions of WT-RET and oncogene RET/PTC1 or RET/PTC3 by nested RT-PCR.


RESULTS
(1) 62 percent (41/66) of PTC patients were above 40 years of age. Thirty-eight percent (25/66) of the tumors showed lymphocytic thyroiditis. Lymph node and distant metastasis were seen in 59% (39/66) and 7.6% (5/66) respectively. (2) Forty-five cases (68.1%) of PTCs expressed RET tyrosine kinase domain (RET-TK). Simultaneous expressions of RET-BP and TK were seen in nineteen PTCs (28.8 %). One of eight adenomas (12.5 %) expressed wild-type RET (WT-RET). (3) Fourteen PTCs (21.2%) expressed RET/PTC, including five cases expressing RET/PTC1 and nine cases expressing RET/PTC3. Six cases (9%) expressed both RET/PTC and WT-RET. (4) Statistic analysis did not show any correlation between the expression of WT-RET or RET/PTC and clinicopathologic parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of RET/PTC was specific to PTC. However, its prevalence was low and, therefore, of limited diagnostic utility. The expression patterns of WT-RET in PTC and adenoma suggest that there are different molecular mechanisms in activating RET proto-oncogene in thyroid tumors.
Zhu
Xiao-li
XL
Department of Pathology, Cancer Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Zhou
Xiao-yan
XY
Zhang
Tai-ming
TM
Zhu
Xiong-zeng
XZ
D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; C099282:RET protein, human; C093573:ret-PTC fusion oncoproteins, human