title: Lack of germline A339V mutation in thyroid transcription factor-1 (TITF-1/NKX2.1) gene in familial papillary thyroid cancer.
abstract: Thyroid cancer may have a familial predisposition but a specific germline alteration responsible for the disease has not been discovered yet. We have shown that familial papillary thyroid cancer (FPTC) patients have an imbalance in telomere-telomerase complex with short telomeres and increased telomerase activity. A germline mutation (A339V) in thyroid transcription factor-1 has been described in patients with multinodular goiter and papillary thyroid cancer. In this report, the presence of the A339V mutation and the telomere length has been studied in FPTC patients and unaffected family members. All samples analyzed displayed a pattern typical of the homozygous wild type revealing the absence of the A339V mutation. Shortening of telomeres was confirmed in all patients. We concluded that the A339V mutation in thyroid transcription factor-1 (TITF-1/NKX2.1) is not correlated with the familial form of PTC, even when the tumor was in the context of multinodular goiter.
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology & Metabolism and Biochemistry, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. pacini8@unisi.it.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cantara
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Capuano
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Formichi
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pisu
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capezzone
authors.forename: Furio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pacini