Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026
07:01
An Orthotopic Mouse Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma
Published on: April 17, 2013
21.6K
Cholesterol and 27-hydroxycholesterol promote thyroid carcinoma aggressiveness
Giovanna Revilla1,2, Monica de Pablo Pons3,1, Lucía Baila-Rueda4,5
1Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques (IIB) Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
Scientific Reports
|July 18, 2019
Summary
Cholesterol metabolite 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-HC) drives aggressive thyroid cancer. Targeting cholesterol metabolism may offer new therapeutic strategies for poor-prognosis thyroid tumors.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Cholesterol and its metabolite 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-HC) are implicated in cancer proliferation and metastasis.
- The role of cholesterol metabolism in thyroid cancer progression, particularly in advanced forms, requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate serum lipoprotein profiles, intratumoral cholesterol, and 27-HC levels in various thyroid tumor types.
- To examine gene expression related to cholesterol metabolism and its impact on thyroid cancer cell behavior.
- To explore the potential of targeting cholesterol metabolism as a therapeutic strategy for aggressive thyroid cancers.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of serum lipoprotein profiles, intratumoral cholesterol, and 27-HC levels in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC), anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), and benign thyroid tumors.
- Gene expression profiling of genes involved in cholesterol metabolism.
- In vitro studies using Nthy-ori 3.1 and CAL-62 cell lines loaded with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to assess proliferation and migration.
Main Results:
- Patients with aggressive thyroid tumors (high-risk PTC, PDTC/ATC) exhibited decreased serum LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B.
- Increased expression of the LDL receptor and downregulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase and 25-hydroxycholesterol 7-alpha-hydroxylase were observed in aggressive tumors.
- Intratumoral accumulation of 27-HC was noted in aggressive thyroid cancers.
- LDL promoted proliferation in both benign and malignant thyroid cell lines, significantly increasing migration in ATC cells.
Conclusions:
- Cholesterol and intratumoral 27-HC accumulation contribute to the aggressive behavior of thyroid tumors, including PTC.
- Targeting cholesterol metabolism presents a potential novel therapeutic avenue for managing thyroid tumors with poor prognoses.
Related Concept Videos
01:47Aggression
30.1K
Humans engage in aggression when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or instrumental. Hostile aggression is motivated by feelings of anger with intent to cause pain; a fight in a bar with a stranger is an example of hostile aggression. In contrast, instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal and does not necessarily involve intent to cause pain (Berkowitz, 1993); a contract killer who murders for...
30.1K
01:29Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation
1.3K
Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
Considering cholesterol and...
Considering cholesterol and...
1.3K
02:40The Eukaryotic Promoter Region
18.7K
The eukaryotic promoter region is a segment of DNA located upstream of a gene. It contains an RNA polymerase binding site, a transcription start site, and several cis-regulatory sequences. The proximal promoter region is located in the vicinity of the gene and has cis-regulatory sequences and the core promoter. The core promoter is the binding site for RNA polymerase and is usually located between -35 and +35 nucleotides from the transcription start site. The distal promoter regions are...
18.7K
02:40The Eukaryotic Promoter Region
3.8K
3.8K
01:23The Thyroid Gland
6.8K
The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck and covers the anterior surface of the trachea. The gland has two lateral lobes connected by a thin tissue mass called the isthmus. Internally, each lobe comprises many small spherical structures known as thyroid follicles, surrounded by a network of blood vessels.
The follicles have a central cavity lined by simple cuboidal to squamous epithelial cells called follicular cells. These cells produce the glycoprotein...
The follicles have a central cavity lined by simple cuboidal to squamous epithelial cells called follicular cells. These cells produce the glycoprotein...
6.8K
01:18Functions of Thyroid Hormones
5.0K
The thyroid hormone (TH) plays a pivotal role in the intricate orchestration of physiological processes, exerting profound effects on development, metabolism, and homeostasis throughout different life stages.
TH is indispensable for the normal development and maturation of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems during fetal and childhood growth. It facilitates bone mineral turnover and regulates protein synthesis in developing tissues, contributing significantly to overall growth and...
TH is indispensable for the normal development and maturation of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems during fetal and childhood growth. It facilitates bone mineral turnover and regulates protein synthesis in developing tissues, contributing significantly to overall growth and...
5.0K