title: Somatostatin receptor expression in thyroid disease.
abstract: Somatostatin analogues are commercially available and used for the management of acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumours, but the expression of the receptors as a target in thyroid disease has not been explored. To assess somatostatin (SST) and somatostatin receptor (SSTR1-5) expression in both normal and thyroid disorders, as a potential target for somatostatin analogue therapy, 67 thyroid tissue specimens were reviewed: 12 differentiated thyroid carcinomas, 14 follicular adenomas, 17 multinodular goitres, 14 Graves disease, 10 Hashimotos thyroiditis specimens and five normal thyroids. Tissue was immunostained for SST and SSTR1-5. Positivity and the degree of positivity were recorded by double-blinded observers. Somatostatin receptor expression was highly expressed in normal tissue for SSTR1, 3, 4 and 5 (5 of 5, 4 of 5, 4 of 5 and 5 of 5 respectively) whilst SST and SSTR 2a and b were not expressed at all. The commonest receptor expressed for all pathological subtypes grouped together was SSTR2b (63 specimens). The commonest receptors expressed in differentiated thyroid cancer were SSTR5 (11 of 12 specimens) and SSTR2b (10 of 12 specimens). The commonest receptor expressed in benign disease was SSTR2b (53 of 55 specimens). SSTR5 was significantly under-expressed in Graves disease (P < 0.05). This study illustrates that SSTR 1, 3, 4 and 5 are highly expressed in normal, benign and malignant thyroid tissue. SSTR 2a and 2b appear absent in normal tissue and present in benign and malignant thyroid tissue (P < 0.02). This suggests that focussed SSTR2 treatment may be a potential therapeutic target.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, East Yorks, UK. hfatkinson@gmail.com
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: England
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rafferty
authors.forename: Vim
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jesudason
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bedford
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Karsai
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Atkin
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; C574734:SSTR2 protein, human; C103631:somatostatin receptor 3; C098681:somatostatin receptor subtype-4; C101130:somatostatin receptor type 1; D013004:Somatostatin; C094573:somatostatin receptor 5; D015282:Octreotide