Cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in thyroid neoplasms and their clinicopathological correlation.
To evaluate the expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in thyroid neoplasms in a Korean population, we studied a total of 154 cases: papillary carcinoma of classical type (PTC), 86; follicular adenoma (FA), 21; follicular carcinoma (FC), 35; medullary carcinoma (MC), 3; undifferentiated carcinoma (UC), 5; and Hurthle cell neoplasm (HN), 4. Using immunohistochemical staining, COX-2 expression was detected in 62 (72.1%) PTC specimens, 5 (23.8%) FA specimens, 10 (28.6%) FC specimens, 0 (0.0%) MC specimens, 1 (20.0%) UC specimen, and 3 (75%) HN specimens. iNOS expression was detected in 66 (76.7%) PTC specimens, 4 (19.0%) FA specimens, 13 (37.1%) FC specimens, 0 (0.0%) MC specimens, 3 (60.0%) UC specimens, and 4 (100%) HN specimens. The results showed that COX-2 and iNOS were frequently expressed in the PTC and HN specimens, and iNOS was more frequently overexpressed in the FC specimens than in the FA specimens. In PTC, COX-2 and iNOS were significantly overexpressed in patients over 45 yr of age (p=0.029, p=0.041), and iNOS expression was increased in patients with a large primary tumor (p=0.028). These results suggest that the upregulation of COX-2 and iNOS may contribute to the tumor progression of thyroid gland, particularly in PTC and HN, and iNOS may play an adjuvant role during the tumor progression of FC.
Kim
Kyung-Hee
KH
Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Eulji University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
Kim
Seong-Ho
SH
Kim
Seok Hyung
SH
Back
Jong-Ho
JH
Park
Mee-Ja
MJ
Kim
Jin-Man
JM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2