This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lazzereschi, D. Articles by Colletta, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lazzereschi, D. Articles by Colletta, G.

Human Malignant Thyroid Tumors Displayed Reduced Levels of Transforming Growth Factor ß Receptor Type II Messenger RNA and Protein¹

Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università "La Sapienza," Rome [D. L., S. T., F. N.], and Dipartimento di Oncologia e Neuroscienze, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Via dei Vestini 1, 66100 Chieti [A. R., G. M., G. C.], Italy

Transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) is a physiological regulator of thyroid epithelial cell growth and differentiation. This factor signals through a heteromeric complex composed of type I (TGF-ß receptor type I) and type II [TGF-ß receptor type II (TßRII)] receptors. Loss of TßRII expression has been related to resistance to TGF-ß inhibition of cell proliferation. In the present work, we analyzed the TßRII expression in a series of human thyroid tumors, from benign lesions (adenomas) to neoplastic lesions of increasing aggressiveness (papillary and follicular carcinomas) up to the extremely aggressive anaplastic tumors. Results obtained indicated a clear reduced expression of TßRII mRNA only in the group of thyroid carcinomas when compared with their relative normal tissues. Immunohistochemical analyses with specific anti-TßRII antibodies confirm these observations. These data indicate that loss of expression of TßRII can contribute to thyroid cancer progression, inducing cancer cells to escape the growth-inhibitory effect of TGF-ß.

¹ This work was supported by the Associazione Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro and by Progetto Finalizzato Applicazoni Cliniche della Ricerca Oncologica of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche. G.M. was supported by an Associazione Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro Fellowship.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed. Phone: 39-871-355319; Fax: 39-871-355322.

Received 11/22/96. Accepted 3/17/97.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J.-H. Kim, P. J. Wilder, J. Hou, T. Nowling, and A. Rizzino Activation of the Murine Type II Transforming Growth Factor-beta Receptor Gene. UP-REGULATION AND FUNCTION OF THE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR Elf-3/Ert/Esx/Ese-1 J. Biol. Chem., May 10, 2002; 277(20): 17520 - 17530. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. G. Dillard, S. Muller, C. Cohen, D. Bloch, J. M. Del Gaudio, and A. A. Gal High Tumor Grade in Salivary Gland Mucoepidermoid Carcinomas and Loss of Expression of Transforming Growth Factor {beta} Receptor Type II Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, June 1, 2001; 127(6): 683 - 686. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A Franchi, O Gallo, I Sardi, and M Santucci Downregulation of transforming growth factor {beta} type II receptor in laryngeal carcinogenesis J. Clin. Pathol., March 1, 2001; 54(3): 201 - 204. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. O. Fortunel, A. Hatzfeld, and J. A. Hatzfeld Transforming growth factor-beta : pleiotropic role in the regulation of hematopoiesis Blood, September 15, 2000; 96(6): 2022 - 2036. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Gobbi, W. D. Dupont, J. F. Simpson, W.D. Plummer Jr., P. A. Schuyler, S. J. Olson, C. L. Arteaga, and D. L. Page Transforming Growth Factor-{beta} and Breast Cancer Risk in Women With Mammary Epithelial Hyperplasia J Natl Cancer Inst, December 15, 1999; 91(24): 2096 - 2101. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Kelly, S.-J. Kim, and A. Rizzino Transcriptional Activation of the Type II Transforming Growth Factor-beta Receptor Gene upon Differentiation of Embryonal Carcinoma Cells J. Biol. Chem., August 14, 1998; 273(33): 21115 - 21124. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N Fortunel, P Batard, A Hatzfeld, M. Monier, B Panterne, J Lebkowski, and J Hatzfeld High proliferative potential-quiescent cells: a working model to study primitive quiescent hematopoietic cells J. Cell Sci., January 7, 1998; 111(13): 1867 - 1875. [Abstract] [PDF]