Angiotensin converting enzymes ACE and ACE2 in thyroid cancer progression

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Oncology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE) and ACE2 are key regulators of blood pressure.
• These enzymes are implicated in various pathophysiological processes, including thyroid dysfunction and cancer progression in other organs.
• The specific role of ACE and ACE2 in thyroid carcinogenesis is currently unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression of ACE and ACE2 in different types of thyroid tissues.
• To evaluate the potential of ACE and ACE2 as biomarkers for thyroid cancer progression and differentiation.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of thyroid tissues from patients with goiters, follicular adenomas, follicular thyroid carcinoma, papillary thyroid carcinoma, and undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma.
• Quantitative assessment of ACE and ACE2 expression using RT-PCR and protein analysis.

Main Results:

• ACE expression was significantly higher in follicular adenomas and follicular thyroid carcinomas compared to other groups.
• ACE2 expression was elevated in papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas relative to benign tissues and undifferentiated carcinomas.
• The ratio of ACE/ACE2 decreased, while ACE2/ACE increased with higher differentiation grades of thyroid carcinoma. Both enzymes were diminished in older patients and those with advanced disease (M1 stage, larger tumor masses).

Conclusions:

• ACE and ACE2 are expressed in both benign and malignant thyroid tissues.
• The transcript ratio between ACE and ACE2 correlates with the differentiation status of thyroid cancer.
• ACE and ACE2 show potential as novel biomarkers for thyroid carcinoma diagnosis and progression monitoring.