The role of the primary cilium in thyroid function and dysfunction with implications for thyroid disease.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Cell Biology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Thyroid hormone (TH) biosynthesis occurs in thyroid follicles, requiring a specific cellular environment.
• Primary cilia (PC), present in thyroid follicular epithelium, have an unexplored role in TH regulation.
• PC's apical position suggests involvement in sensing and regulating the thyroid's lumenal environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding of primary cilia's role in normal thyroid function.
• To explore modifications in PC characteristics during physiological and pathological thyroid conditions.
• To highlight the potential of PC restoration as a therapeutic strategy for thyroid cancer.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on primary cilia in the thyroid gland.
• Analysis of the relationship between thyroid function/disease and PC morphology/presence.
• Examination of research on ciliogenesis defects and thyroid pathology.
• Evaluation of studies investigating PC restoration in thyroid tumorigenesis.

Main Results:

• Primary cilia are strategically located to regulate thyroid hormone biosynthesis.
• Thyroid function and disease states are associated with alterations in PC characteristics.
• A notable loss of PCs is observed in specific types of thyroid cancer.
• Defects in ciliogenesis correlate with various thyroid pathologies.

Conclusions:

• Primary cilia play a crucial, yet underappreciated, role in regulating thyroid activity.
• Changes in PC are indicative of thyroid dysfunction and disease.
• The loss of PCs in thyroid cancer presents a potential therapeutic target.
• Restoring primary cilia function may offer a promising tumor suppressor strategy in thyroid tumorigenesis.