Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities in human thyroid cancer cells

The appearance and distribution of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) in 12 human thyroid cancers and three normal thyroids were examined by electron microscopic study with indirect thiocholine method. The demonstration of AChE and BuChE activities in only two of nine cases of follicular and papillary carcinoma examined and none of the three cases of medullary carcinoma shows that the cholinesterases are not specific enzymes for the thyroid tumors. In normal thyroid tissue samples examined, no activities of AChE and BuChE were detected. On ultrastructural level AChE reaction product was revealed in the perinuclear space, in the endoplasmic reticulum, and in the Golgi complex of some but not in all cells in less-differentiated regions of the tumors. In contrast to the distribution of AChE, no staining for BuChE was noted in the Golgi elements. Ultrastructural localization of AChE activity in the thyroid cancer cells corresponds exactly to the current understanding of glycoproteins synthesis and processing in normal cells. The authors postulate that the copy of AChE gene suppressed in normal thyroid epithelium cells may be expressed in some follicular thyroid carcinoma cells. Their hypothesis is logical on the basis of recent finding of a significant homology between AChE and thyroglobulin.