title: Expression of polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyl transferase-3 and its association with clinicopathological factors in thyroid carcinomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyl transferase-3 (GalNAc-T3) has been reportedly expressed in several human adenocarcinomas and is associated with clinicopathological features of tumors. We investigated the clinicopathological significance of GalNAc-T3 in thyroid cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the expression of GalNAc-T3 in 167 patients with thyroid cancer using a specific antibody and analyzed the association between its expression and clinicopathological features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GalNAc-T3 was expressed in 85.8% of normal follicular epithelial cells. In papillary carcinomas, positive staining was observed in 101 (73.7%) cases. Well-differentiated components (papillary and follicular) of papillary carcinomas were significantly more frequently positive than poorly differentiated components (trabecular and solid) (p<0.01), and GalNAc-T3 was highly expressed in papillary carcinomas that had invaded beyond the thyroid capsule (p=0.026). GalNAc-T3 was expressed in 40% and 20% of well and poorly differentiated components of follicular carcinomas, respectively. Thirteen of 15 anaplastic carcinomas were negative for GalNAc-T3 and thyroglobulin. Positive staining for GalNAc-T3 was not observed in any of the medullary carcinomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that GalNAc-T3 expression may be a useful indicator of tumor differentiation in thyroid carcinomas.
authors: 1 Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine , Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan .
authors: Yasuhiro
authors: Y
authors: Mochizuki
authors: Ken-ichi
authors: K
authors: Ito
authors: Hiroto
authors: H
authors: Izumi
authors: Kimitoshi
authors: K
authors: Kohno
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Amano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000097763:Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases; D000097763:Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase