Extending the Impact of RAC1b Overexpression to Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas

RAC1b is a hyperactive variant of the small GTPase RAC1 known to be a relevant molecular player in different cancers. Previous studies from our group lead to the evidence that its overexpression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. In the present study, w...

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Main Authors: Márcia Faria, Liliana Capinha, Joana Simões-Pereira, Maria João Bugalho, Ana Luísa Silva
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:International Journal of Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1972367
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author Márcia Faria
Liliana Capinha
Joana Simões-Pereira
Maria João Bugalho
Ana Luísa Silva
author_facet Márcia Faria
Liliana Capinha
Joana Simões-Pereira
Maria João Bugalho
Ana Luísa Silva
author_sort Márcia Faria
collection DOAJ
description RAC1b is a hyperactive variant of the small GTPase RAC1 known to be a relevant molecular player in different cancers. Previous studies from our group lead to the evidence that its overexpression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. In the present study, we intended to extend the analysis of RAC1b expression to thyroid follicular neoplasms and to seek for clinical correlations. RAC1b expression levels were determined by RT-qPCR in thyroid follicular tumor samples comprising 23 follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTCs) and 33 follicular thyroid adenomas (FTAs). RAC1b was found to be overexpressed in 33% of carcinomas while no RAC1b overexpression was documented among follicular adenomas. Patients with a diagnosis of FTC were divided into two groups based on longitudinal evolution and final outcome. RAC1b overexpression was significantly associated with both the presence of distant metastases (P = 0.01) and poorer clinical outcome (P = 0.01) suggesting that, similarly to that previously found in PTCs, RAC1b overexpression in FTCs is also associated with worse outcomes. Furthermore, the absence of RAC1b overexpression in follicular adenomas hints its potential as a molecular marker likely to contribute, in conjunction with other putative markers, to the preoperative differential diagnosis of thyroid follicular lesions.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1687-8337
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publishDate 2016-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-291ae4a2f3ae4695bdbd04d2484fa8792025-08-20T03:54:47ZengWileyInternational Journal of Endocrinology1687-83371687-83452016-01-01201610.1155/2016/19723671972367Extending the Impact of RAC1b Overexpression to Follicular Thyroid CarcinomasMárcia Faria0Liliana Capinha1Joana Simões-Pereira2Maria João Bugalho3Ana Luísa Silva4Unidade de Investigação de Patobiologia Molecular, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil EPE, 1099-023 Lisboa, PortugalUnidade de Investigação de Patobiologia Molecular, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil EPE, 1099-023 Lisboa, PortugalServiço de Endocrinologia, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil EPE, 1099-023 Lisboa, PortugalUnidade de Investigação de Patobiologia Molecular, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil EPE, 1099-023 Lisboa, PortugalUnidade de Investigação de Patobiologia Molecular, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil EPE, 1099-023 Lisboa, PortugalRAC1b is a hyperactive variant of the small GTPase RAC1 known to be a relevant molecular player in different cancers. Previous studies from our group lead to the evidence that its overexpression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. In the present study, we intended to extend the analysis of RAC1b expression to thyroid follicular neoplasms and to seek for clinical correlations. RAC1b expression levels were determined by RT-qPCR in thyroid follicular tumor samples comprising 23 follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTCs) and 33 follicular thyroid adenomas (FTAs). RAC1b was found to be overexpressed in 33% of carcinomas while no RAC1b overexpression was documented among follicular adenomas. Patients with a diagnosis of FTC were divided into two groups based on longitudinal evolution and final outcome. RAC1b overexpression was significantly associated with both the presence of distant metastases (P = 0.01) and poorer clinical outcome (P = 0.01) suggesting that, similarly to that previously found in PTCs, RAC1b overexpression in FTCs is also associated with worse outcomes. Furthermore, the absence of RAC1b overexpression in follicular adenomas hints its potential as a molecular marker likely to contribute, in conjunction with other putative markers, to the preoperative differential diagnosis of thyroid follicular lesions.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1972367
spellingShingle Márcia Faria
Liliana Capinha
Joana Simões-Pereira
Maria João Bugalho
Ana Luísa Silva
Extending the Impact of RAC1b Overexpression to Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas
International Journal of Endocrinology
title Extending the Impact of RAC1b Overexpression to Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas
title_full Extending the Impact of RAC1b Overexpression to Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas
title_fullStr Extending the Impact of RAC1b Overexpression to Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas
title_full_unstemmed Extending the Impact of RAC1b Overexpression to Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas
title_short Extending the Impact of RAC1b Overexpression to Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas
title_sort extending the impact of rac1b overexpression to follicular thyroid carcinomas
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1972367
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AT joanasimoespereira extendingtheimpactofrac1boverexpressiontofollicularthyroidcarcinomas
AT mariajoaobugalho extendingtheimpactofrac1boverexpressiontofollicularthyroidcarcinomas
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