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Updated: Jul 1, 2026
Spontaneous Murine Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Published on: February 3, 2023
Thiazolidinediones and antiblastics in primary human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells
Alessandro Antonelli1, Silvia Martina Ferrari, Poupak Fallahi
1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, via Roma, 67, I-56100, Pisa, Italy. a.antonelli@med.unipi.it
Objective:
No study has evaluated the antiproliferative effects of thiazolidinediones and antiblastics in 'primary cultured human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells'.
Design:
Primary anaplastic cells proliferation was evaluated after incubation with increasing concentrations of rosiglitazone or pioglitazone or antiblastics (bleomycin, cisplatin, gemcitabine) by a proliferation assay (WST-1-tetrazolium reaction) and cell counting.
Measurements And Results:
A reduction of proliferation by thiazolidinediones at 1 h (from the start of tetrazolium reaction) [of 11% and 25%, with rosiglitazone, 10 or 20 (P = 0.0001) microM, respectively; of 7% and 17%, with pioglitazone, 10 or 20 (P = 0.0125) microM, respectively], and at 2 h [of 14% and 24%, with rosiglitazone, 10 (P = 0.0043) or 20 (P < 0.0001) microM, respectively; of 9% and 21%, with pioglitazone, 10 (P = 0.0397) or 20 (P = 0.0001) microM, respectively] was shown. No significant thiazolidinediones effect was observed in normal thyroid follicular cells. Bleomycin, cisplatin and gemcitabine significantly (P < 0.0001) inhibited (> 50%) anaplastic cells proliferation. Cell counting confirmed the above mentioned results. Inhibition of proliferation was similar in tumours with or without (V600E)BRAF mutation, both for thiazolidinediones and antiblastics.
Conclusions:
Thiazolidinediones exert an antiproliferative effect in primary cultured human anaplastic carcinoma cells in vitro, such as antiblastics.
Insights
Thiazolidinediones and antiblastics show antiproliferative effects on human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells. These findings suggest new therapeutic avenues for anaplastic thyroid cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is an aggressive malignancy with limited treatment options.
- The antiproliferative effects of thiazolidinediones and antiblastics in this cancer type remain largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in vitro antiproliferative effects of thiazolidinediones (rosiglitazone, pioglitazone) and common antiblastics (bleomycin, cisplatin, gemcitabine) on primary human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells.
Main Methods:
- Primary human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells were cultured and treated with increasing concentrations of rosiglitazone, pioglitazone, bleomycin, cisplatin, or gemcitabine.
- Cell proliferation was assessed using a WST-1 assay and direct cell counting.
Main Results:
- Thiazolidinediones demonstrated a dose- and time-dependent reduction in anaplastic cell proliferation, with no significant effect on normal thyroid cells.
- Antiblastics (bleomycin, cisplatin, gemcitabine) significantly inhibited anaplastic cell proliferation by over 50%.
- The antiproliferative effects were consistent across tumors with and without the BRAF V600E mutation.
Conclusions:
- Thiazolidinediones exhibit significant in vitro antiproliferative activity against human anaplastic thyroid cancer cells.
- Both thiazolidinediones and antiblastics represent potential therapeutic agents for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.
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