title: Heat shock proteins HSP90, HSP70 and GRP78 expression in medullary thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medullary thyroid carcinoma management consists mainly of surgical resection and is largely chemoresistant. There is ongoing effort to discover novel therapies for medullary thyroid carcinoma. Increased levels of heat shock proteins have been associated with multiple cancers and are being studied as potential therapeutic targets. The purpose of this study was to determine the expression levels of heat shock proteins 90 and 70 and of glucose related protein 78 in medullary thyroid carcinoma tissues compared with normal thyroid tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 tissue specimens of medullary thyroid carcinoma and 10 specimens of thyroids without malignancy were analyzed by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medullary thyroid carcinoma specimens showed 27% higher expression level of heat shock protein 90 immunostaining, and a 43% higher expression level of heat shock protein 70 immunostaining versus normal controls. These differences, however, were not statistically significant. A significantly higher expression level was noted for glucose related protein 78 in the medullary thyroid carcinoma specimens than in the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates increased expression levels of heat shock proteins 90 and 70 and glucose related protein 78 levels in medullary thyroid carcinoma. These findings, though preliminary imply that these proteins may have a role in medullary thyroid carcinoma's tumor biology and may have and future therapeutic options. Larger cohorts are needed to corroborate these results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqwa, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: ethanso@clalit.org.il.
authors.forename: Ethan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soudry
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqwa, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Sagit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stern Shavit
authors.affiliation: Felsenstein Research Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqwa, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqwa, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morgenstern
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqwa, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Tuvia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hadar
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqwa, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Feinmesser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; D005260:Female; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins; C000717247:HSPA5 protein, human; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins
keywords: GRP 78; Heat shock protein 70; Heat shock protein 90; Immunohistochemistry; Medullary thyroid carcinoma