Decreased annexin A3 expression correlates with tumor progression in papillary thyroid cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to identify the potential tumor markers that function in carcinogenesis and tumor progression, thus providing important diagnostic and prognostic information.


METHODS
We performed 2-D gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF MS to investigate the differentially expressed proteins in 25 papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues. For validation of candidate proteins and investigation of clinical significance, we performed Western, Northern blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
Our proteomic analyses revealed significantly decreased annexin A3 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma at both the protein and mRNA levels, compared with normal thyroid tissue. ANXA3 immunoreactivity was not significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, multifocality, capsular invasion or perithyroidal extension in thyroid cancer. However, the tumor subgroup with a lymph node metastasis score of >3 displayed significantly lower ANXA3 expression than did subgroups with negative and ≤3 scores (p=0.001). Moreover, ANXA3 expression was markedly lower in large tumors (>1  cm in diameter) than in microcarcinomas (p=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Decreased expression of ANXA3 in papillary thyroid cancer supports the idea that ANXA3 may be an effective marker of microcarcinoma, and a negative predictor of papillary thyroid cancer progression.
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Gyeongsang National Unniversity, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongnam Regional Cancer Center, Jinju, South Korea.
Eun-Jung
EJ
Jung
Hyeong-Gon
HG
Moon
Soon-Tae
ST
Park
Bok-Im
BI
Cho
Sun-Min
SM
Lee
Chi-Young
CY
Jeong
Young-Tae
YT
Ju
Sang-Ho
SH
Jeong
Young-Joon
YJ
Lee
Sang-Kyung
SK
Choi
Woo-Song
WS
Ha
Jong Sil
JS
Lee
Kee Ryeon
KR
Kang
Soon-Chan
SC
Hong
D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism*; D017318:Annexin A3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017318:Annexin A3