title: Expression of Tenascin C, EGFR, E-Cadherin, and TTF-1 in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma and the Correlation with RET Mutation Status.
abstract: Tenascin C expression correlates with tumor grade and indicates worse prognosis in several tumors. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in driving proliferation in many tumors. Loss of E-cadherin function is associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is involved in rearranged during transfection (RET) transcription in Hirschsprung's disease. Tenascin C, EGFR, E-cadherin, TTF-1-expression, and their correlations with RET mutation status were investigated in 30 patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) (n = 26) or C-cell hyperplasia (n = 4). Tenascin C was found in all, EGFR in 4/26, E-cadherin in 23/26, and TTF-1 in 25/26 MTC. Tenascin C correlated significantly with tumor proliferation (overall, r = 0.61, p < 0.005; RET-mutated, r = 0.81, p < 0.01). E-cadherin showed weak correlation, whereas EGFR and TTF-1 showed no significant correlation with tumor proliferation. EGFR, E-cadherin, and TTF-1 showed weak correlation with proliferation of RET-mutated tumors. Correlation between TTF-1 and tenascin C, E-cadherin, and EGFR was r = -0.10, 0.37, and 0.21, respectively. In conclusion, MTC express tenascin C, E-cadherin, and TTF-1. Tenascin C correlates significantly with tumor proliferation, especially in RET-mutated tumors. EGFR is low, and tumors expressing EGFR do not exhibit higher proliferation. TTF-1 does not correlate with RET mutation status and has a weak correlation with tenascin C, E-cadherin, and EGFR expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, M&#252;llner Hauptstrasse 48, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria. f.steiner@salk.at.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, M&#252;llner Hauptstrasse 48, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria. c.hauser-kronberger@salk.at.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hauser-Kronberger
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrinology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, M&#252;llner Hauptstrasse 48, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria. g.rendl@salk.at.
authors.forename: Gundula
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rendl
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrinology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, M&#252;llner Hauptstrasse 48, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria. rodriguesradischat@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrinology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, M&#252;llner Hauptstrasse 48, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria. c.pirich@salk.at.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pirich
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret / Q000235:genetics*; D019063:Tenascin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000074482:Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; C000614412:NKX2-1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D019063:Tenascin; D000074482:Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D002116:Calcitonin; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret
keywords: E-cadherin; epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR); medullary thyroid carcinoma; tenascin C; thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1)