Clusterin transcript variants expression in thyroid tumor: a potential marker of malignancy?
BACKGROUND
Clusterin (CLU) is a ubiquitous multifunctional factor involved in neoplastic transformation. The CLU transcript variants and protein forms play a crucial role in balancing cells proliferation and death.


METHODS
We investigated the regulation of CLU transcript variants expression in an in vivo model system consisting of both neoplastic tissues and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) samples isolated from patients undergoing thyroidectomy.


RESULTS
The immunohistochemical analyses showed an overall CLU up-regulation in papillary carcinoma. A specific CLU2 transcript variant increase was registered using qPCR in papillary carcinomas while CLU1 decreased. In addition, the analysis of CLU transcripts expression level showed an increase of the CLU2 transcript in the TIR 3 patients with histologically confirmed thyroid cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest the existence of a specific alteration of CLU2:CLU1 ratio towards CLU2, thus providing the first circumstantial evidence for the potential use of CLU transcript variants as effective biomarkers for a more accurate assessment of the so called "indeterminate" thyroid nodules.
Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council (CNR), Via G. Amendola, 122/D, 70126, Bari, Italy. paolo.fuzio@ba.itb.cnr.it.
Paolo
P
Fuzio
Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Pathological Anatomy, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy. anna.napoli@uniba.it.
Anna
A
Napoli
Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Endocrinology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy. anna.ciampolillo@uniba.it.
Anna
A
Ciampolillo
Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Endocrinology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy. s.lattarulo@virgilio.it.
Serafina
S
Lattarulo
Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Endocrinology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy. apezzolla@chirges.uniba.it.
Angela
A
Pezzolla
Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council (CNR), Via G. Amendola, 122/D, 70126, Bari, Italy. nicoletta.nuzziello@gmail.com.
Nicoletta
N
Nuzziello
Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council (CNR), Via G. Amendola, 122/D, 70126, Bari, Italy. sabino.liuni@ba.itb.cnr.it.
Sabino
S
Liuni
Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Endocrinology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy. francesco.giorgino@uniba.it.
Francesco
F
Giorgino
Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Pathological Anatomy, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy. eugenio.maiorano@uniba.it.
Eugenio
E
Maiorano
Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council (CNR), Via G. Amendola, 122/D, 70126, Bari, Italy. elda.perlino@ba.itb.cnr.it.
Elda
E
Perlino
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051152:Clusterin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495242:CLU protein, human; D051152:Clusterin; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger