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High prevalence of RET tyrosine kinase activation in Mexican patients with papillary thyroid carcinomas

I Martínez1, A Mantilla, M E Medrano

  • 1Oncology Research Unit, Oncology Hospital, National Medical Center IMSS-SXXI, Ay. Cuauhtémoc 330, Col. Doctores, México, D.F. 07780.

Endocrine Pathology
|October 3, 2001
PubMed

Insights

RET/PTC oncogene activation is common in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) without radiation history. This RET activation occurs in all PTC variants and their metastases, but not in benign thyroid conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • RET/PTC oncogene expression is specific to papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC).
  • RET/PTC oncogenes arise from rearrangements involving the ret proto-oncogene's tyrosine-kinase (TK) domain.
  • Previous research suggests a link between RET oncogene expression, clinical outcomes, and histological subtypes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between RET activation, clinical outcome, and tumor subtype in non-radiation-exposed PTC patients.
  • To determine the presence of RET gene transcripts and protein in various PTC variants and their metastases.
  • To assess the frequency of RET activation in PTC compared to benign thyroid conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 35 paraffin-embedded PTC samples from patients without prior radiation exposure.
  • Utilized immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques.
  • Examined normal thyroid follicular cells, follicular adenomas, and goiters as controls.

Main Results:

  • RET gene transcripts and protein were detected in all studied PTC variants and their corresponding metastases.
  • Nearly half of the PTC cases exhibited tumoral extension or metastases.
  • No evidence of RET activation was found in follicular adenomas, goiters, or normal thyroid follicular cells.

Conclusions:

  • RET activation is a frequent event in non-radiation-related papillary thyroid carcinomas, particularly in the Mexican patient cohort studied.
  • RET activation is specific to PTC and its metastatic lesions, distinguishing it from benign thyroid conditions.
  • The findings support RET activation as a common oncogenic event in PTC development.

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