Increased expression of PIN1 gene in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

BackgroundPeptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (Pin1), encoded by PIN1 gene with locus in chromosome 19p13, is an enzyme that catalytically induces conformational changes in proteins after phosphorylation on serine or threonine residues preceding proline (pSer/Thr-Pro motifs); in this way, it has an influence on protein interactions and intracellular localizations of proteins. The aim of the study were: 1) an assessment of PIN1 gene expression level in benign and malignant thyroid lesions; 2) the evaluation of possible correlations between gene expression and histopathological variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) or tumour size, classified according to TNM classification of primary tumours (in case of PTC only); 3) the estimation of possible relationships between expression of the gene in question and patients' sex or age.MethodsSeventy (70) tissue samples were analyzed: 32 cases of PTC, 7 cases of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), 7 cases of follicular adenoma (FA), and 24 cases of nodular goitre (NG). In real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR), two-step RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction) in an ABI PRISM 7500 Sequence Detection System was employed. The PIN1 gene expression level was assessed, calculating the mean relative quantification rate (RQ rate) increase for each sample.ResultsThe level of PIN1 gene expression (compared to that in macroscopically unchanged thyroid tissue) was higher in PTC group than those in FA, MTC and/or NG groups, but the statistical significance was noted for difference between PTC and NG groups only. On the other hand, the differences of RQ rate value between different PTC variants were statistically insignificant. No correlations were found between RQ values and tumour size, as well as between RQ values and patients' sex or age in PTC group.ConclusionsThe PIN1 gene expression may have - in future - an important meaning in the diagnostics of PTC and in understanding its pathogenesis. However, our results - mostly due to the small number of cases - do not yet allow considering PIN1 gene as a prognostic molecular PTC marker.

Coexistence of papillary thyroid cancer with Hashimoto thyroiditis

“…In the aforementioned reports, the authors suggest that the presence of mutations involving the RET/PTC oncogenes may be an early molecular indicator of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma lesions. Recent experience with the use of PCR in cytological diagnostic management of material obtained by FNAB may be of importance in detecting neoplastic lesions before they become clinically manifested [15]. The significance of molecular studies as an element of cytological diagnostics of thyroid lesions is confirmed by considerable differences in papillary thyroid cancer diagnoses in biopsy materials.…”

Patterns of cyclin A and B1 immunostaining in papillary thyroid carcinoma

“…Previous studies by the authors of the presented study suggested that an increased expression of cyclin D, Pin 1 (peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase, which also plays a critical role in cell restriction points -particular in G1/S phase) and cyclin E, could play an important role in PTC carcinogenesis [11,12,13,14]. However, the role of other cell cycle regulatory proteins in PTC remains largely undefined.…”

Pin1 is related with clinical stage of papillary thyroid carcinoma

“…Previous researches have rarely been done to investigate the relationship between Pin1 and papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs); Masahiro et al [ 21 ] confirmed Pin1 mRNA expression in PTC by RT-PCR in their investigation, and they pointed out that Pin1 immunoreactivity was significantly higher in PTC than in follicular adenomas (FAs), the same with Andrzej et al study [ 22 ]. In our study, we investigated whether the expression pattern of Pin1 was different in distinct PTC stage.…”