[Gene rearrangement analysis of papillary thyroid carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the characteristics of RET/PTC and H47PTEN rearrangement and the association between gene rearrangement and clinicopathological properties of thyroid carcinoma.


METHODS
Rearrangement of RET/PTC-1, RET/PTC-2, RET/PTC-3, ELKS-RET and H4-PTEN (H4/PTEN and PTEN/H4) was analyzed in 139 thyroid tumor tissues by using RT-PCR and sequencing.


RESULTS
Twelve RET/PTC-1, 6 RET/PTC-3, 6 H4/PTEN and 7 PTEN/H4 were detected in 126 papillary thyroid carcinomas. In 3 cases, both RET/PTC and H4-PTEN were identified simultaneously. However, repeated experiments did not give the same results of H4-PTEN rearrangement. The overall frequency of rearrangement was 21.4% (27/126). The patients with gene rearrangement were younger (P = 0.02) and had a higher frequency of lymph node involvement (P = 0.02). High frequency of lateral neck lymph node involvement was detected in RET/PTC positive PTC (P < 0.01). PTEN/H4 rearrangement could also be detected in medullary thyroid carcinoma (2/5).


CONCLUSIONS
H4-PTEN rearrangement can occur simultaneously with RET/PTC rearrangement in PTC. High predisposition to gene rearrangement is a characteristic of PTC. The patients of PTC with gene rearrangement are younger and have a higher frequency of lymph node involvement.
Wang
Yu-long
YL
Department of Head Neck Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Wang
Jiu-cun
JC
Li
Dnan-shu
DS
Zhu
Yong-xue
YX
Wu
Yi
Y
Ji
Qing-hai
QH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics*; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000235:genetics*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C093573:ret-PTC fusion oncoproteins, human; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase