[Immunohistochemical localization of cytoskeletal proteins and thyroglobulin in thyroid micro cancers]

We performed a comparative study using immunoperoxidase staining on 11 cases of thyroid micro cancer (TCM) and 7 cases of clinically manifested cancers (CMC). Antibodies against 4 kinds of cytoskeletal proteins and thyroglobulin were used. In the TCM and CMC groups, actin and myosin were identified in almost all neoplastic cells of all patients; keratin and vimentin were present in the tumor cells of several patients. Keratin was found only in papillary carcinoma cells. Thyroglobulin was present in the neoplastic cells of several patients from both groups; follicular carcinoma cells and keratin-negative cells reacted more strongly with thyroglobulin than papillary carcinoma cells or keratin-positive cells. There was no special difference between TMC and CMC in the localization of cytoskeletal proteins and thyroglobulin.