title: IGFBP7: an oncosuppressor gene in thyroid carcinogenesis.
abstract: Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) is a secreted protein involved in several cellular processes, including proliferation, senescence and apoptosis. Loss of IGFBP7 expression is a critical step in the development of human tumors, including melanoma and colon cancer. By microarray gene expression studies, we have detected downregulation of IGFBP7 gene expression in follicular and papillary thyroid tumors in comparison with normal thyroid tissue. Evaluation of publicly available PTC microarray gene expression data sets confirmed, in a consistent fraction of tumors, the downregulation of IGFBP7 transcript levels. The functional consequence of IGFBP7 downregulation was addressed in the PTC-derived NIM1 cell line in which IGFBP7 expression is repressed by promoter hypermethylation. Exposure to soluble IGFBP7 protein or restoration of IGFBP7 expression by complementary DNA transfection reduced growth rate, migration, anchorage-independent growth and tumorigenicity of NIM1 cells. We show that the effects of IGFBP7 are related to apoptosis. Our data suggest that loss of IGFBP7 expression has a functional role in thyroid carcinogenesis, and it may represent a possible basis for therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Mechanisms Unit, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Foundation--Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Vizioli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sensi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cleris
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Formelli
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Anania
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pierotti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greco
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002455:Cell Division; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009857:Oncogenes; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; C102529:insulin-like growth factor binding protein-related protein 1