Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026
Human Neuroendocrine Tumor Cell Lines as a Three-Dimensional Model for the Study of Human Neuroendocrine Tumor Therapy
Published on: August 14, 2012
Functional activity of human sodium/iodide symporter in tumor cell lines
T Petrich1, W H Knapp, E Pötter
1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. petrich.thorsten@mh-hannover.de
Aim:
The sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) actively transports iodide into thyrocytes. Thus, NIS represents a key protein for diagnosis and radioiodine therapy of differentiated thyroid cancer. Additionally, in the future the NIS gene may be used for cancer gene therapy of non-thyroid-derived malignancies. In this study we evaluated the functionality of NIS with respect to iodide uptake in a panel of tumor cell lines and compared this to gene transfer efficiency.
Methods:
A human NIS-containing expression vector and reporter-gene vectors encoding beta-Galactosidase- or EGFP were used for transient transfection of 13 tumor cell lines. Following transfection measurements of NIS-mediated radioiodide uptake using Na(125)I and of transfection efficiency were performed. The latter included beta-Galactosidase activity measurements using a commercial kit and observation by fluorescence microscopy for EGFP expression.
Results:
In contrast to respective parental cells, most NIS-transfected cell lines displayed high, perchlorate-sensitive radioiodide uptake. Differences in radioiodide uptake between cell lines apparently corresponded to transfection efficiencies, as judged from reporter-gene assays.
Conclusion:
With respect to iodide uptake we provide evidence that NIS is functional in different cellular context. As iodide uptake capacity appears to be well correlated to gene transfer efficiency, cell type-specific actions on NIS (e. g. post-translational modification such as glycosylation) are not inhibitory to NIS function. Our data support the promising role of NIS in cancer gene therapy strategies.
Insights
The sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) functions in various tumor cell lines, with iodide uptake correlating to gene transfer efficiency. This supports NIS
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
- Gene Therapy
Background:
- The sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) is crucial for iodide transport in thyrocytes.
- NIS plays a key role in diagnosing and treating differentiated thyroid cancer.
- NIS gene therapy holds potential for non-thyroid cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the functionality of NIS in various tumor cell lines regarding iodide uptake.
- To compare NIS functionality with gene transfer efficiency across different cell types.
- To assess the potential of NIS for cancer gene therapy applications.
Main Methods:
- Transient transfection of 13 tumor cell lines with a human NIS expression vector.
- Measurement of NIS-mediated radioiodide uptake using Na(125)I.
- Assessment of transfection efficiency via reporter-gene assays (beta-Galactosidase and EGFP).
Main Results:
- Most NIS-transfected cell lines exhibited significant, perchlorate-sensitive radioiodide uptake compared to parental cells.
- Radioiodide uptake levels correlated with observed transfection efficiencies.
- Reporter-gene assays confirmed successful gene transfer and expression.
Conclusions:
- NIS demonstrates functionality across diverse cellular contexts, indicating broad applicability.
- Iodide uptake capacity is strongly linked to gene transfer efficiency, not inhibited by cell-specific factors.
- These findings support the promising role of NIS in developing novel cancer gene therapy strategies.
![Dynamic Imaging of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells with [18F]Tetrafluoroborate Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F62334.jpg&w=3840&q=50)