title: Clinical Significance of EphB4 and EphB6 Expression in Human Malignant and Benign Thyroid Lesions.
abstract: Ephrin receptors (Ephs) are frequently overexpressed in a wide variety of human malignant tumors, being associated with tumor growth, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of EphB4 and EphB6 protein expression in human malignant and benign thyroid lesions. EphB4 and EphB6 protein expression was assessed immunohistochemically on paraffin-embedded thyroid tissues obtained from 127 patients with benign (n = 71) and malignant (n = 56) thyroid lesions. Enhanced EphB4 and EphB6 expression was more frequently observed in malignant compared to benign thyroid lesions (p = 0.0508 and p = 0.0006, respectively). EphB4 and EphB6 expression also provided a distinct discrimination between papillary carcinoma and hyperplastic nodules (p = 0.0302 and p = 0.0013, respectively). In malignant thyroid lesions, enhanced EphB4 expression was significantly associated with larger tumor size (p = 0.0366). Enhanced EphB6 expression was significantly associated with larger tumor size (p = 0.0366), the presence of lymph node metastases (p = 0.0023), the presence of capsular (p = 0.0038), lymphatic (p = 0.0053) and vascular invasion (p = 0.0018) and increased risk of recurrence rate (p = 0.0038). The present study supported evidence that EphB4 and mainly EphB6 may participate in the malignant thyroid transformation, reinforcing their utility as useful biomarkers and possible therapeutic targets in this type of neoplasia.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 M. Asias str., Goudi, Athens, 11527, Greece.|Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of the Aegean, Myrina, Lemnos, Greece.
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giaginis
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 M. Asias str., Goudi, Athens, 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alexandrou
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 M. Asias str., Goudi, Athens, 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Elpida
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poulaki
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 M. Asias str., Goudi, Athens, 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Delladetsima
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Troungos
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 M. Asias str., Goudi, Athens, 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Efstratios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patsouris
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 M. Asias str., Goudi, Athens, 11527, Greece. stamtheo@med.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Stamatios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Theocharis
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D036224:Receptor, EphB4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family / Q000378:metabolism*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C106797:EPHB6 protein, human; D036224:Receptor, EphB4; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family
keywords: Clinicopathological parameters; Ephrin receptors; Hyperplastic nodule; Immunohistochemistry; Papillary carcinoma; Thyroid malignancy