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Updated: Aug 19, 2026
An Orthotopic Mouse Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma
Published on: April 17, 2013
Effect of exogenous thyroid-stimulating hormone on thyroid papillary carcinoma cells in tissue culture
M Chaimoff1, A Raiter, S Avidan
1Department of Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva 49 100 Israel.
Background:
To determine the prognostic value of thyroid suppression therapy in patients with thyroid carcinoma, we studied the effect of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) on the morphology, proliferation rate, and the T3, T4 production rate of primary thyroid carcinoma cells in culture.
Methods:
From August 1997 to February 1998 tissues were collected for immediate culture from 13 patients undergoing surgery for thyroid cancer. Cells were incubated for 48 h with TSH in different concentrations. T3 and T4 production was measured by radioimmunoassay; cell proliferation was measured in a radioactive counter. Morphology was determined by cytologic examination.
Results:
Ten samples were eligible for analysis. Changes in TSH affected T3 and T4 levels. The proliferation rate was not influenced by TSH levels.
Conclusions:
Thyroid papillary carcinoma cells grown in culture maintain their T3 and T4 synthesis ability. This ability is TSH-dependent and correlates with TSH concentration. The morphology of the cells is also maintained. However, their proliferation is not TSH-dependent, placing the current postthyroidectomy treatment policy in question.
