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Expression of TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 is associated with lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma

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Abstract

TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 are implicated in tumor invasion and metastasis. The purpose of this study was to examine TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), and to assess association of TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 expression with several clinicopathological indicators of PTC. TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 protein expression in 83 PTCs and their matched normal thyroid specimens were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 in 12 fresh PTC specimens with lymph node metastasis (LNM), 12 fresh PTC specimens without LNM and their matched normal thyroid specimens were assessed by real-time RT-PCR. The results showed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 were significantly higher in PTCs than in their matched normal thyroid tissues. There were not significant differences in TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 protein expression relative to age, gender, tumor size and TNM stage, except for MMP-9 whose protein expression correlated with tumor size. However, high mRNA and protein expression levels of TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 were significantly correlated with LNM. Furthermore, TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 protein expression were significantly correlated with one another. Concomitant expression of any two or all of the three molecules had stronger correlation with LNM than did each alone. Collectively, the present results indicate that immunohistochemical and real-time RT-PCR evaluation of TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 expression in PTC may be useful to predict the risk of LNM in PTC patients.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81072183), by Chongqing Natural Science Foundation of China (No. CSTC, 2011BA5038), by Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Personnel Ministry (2011), by Scientific Research Foundation of Chongqing Medical University (XBZD201002). The authors thank Dr. Michael Koehler (University of Tennessee, Tennessee) for a critical review of this paper.

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The authors declare that no competing financial interests exist.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, 1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China

    Ni Wang, Jun-Yan Yang, Cui Tang, Lei Yang, Qi-Feng Jiang & Zhi-Min Liu

  2. Department of Pathology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical University, 1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China

    Rong Jiang & Man Xu

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  1. Ni Wang
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  4. Cui Tang
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  6. Man Xu
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Correspondence to Zhi-Min Liu.

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Wang, N., Jiang, R., Yang, JY. et al. Expression of TGF-β1, SNAI1 and MMP-9 is associated with lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma. J Mol Hist 45, 391–399 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10735-013-9557-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10735-013-9557-9

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