In search of new stratification strategies: tissue proteomic profiling of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma in patients with localized disease and lateral neck metastases

Proteomic Analysis of Tissue Proteins Related to Lateral Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma

Patients with lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) may experience higher locoregional recurrence rates and poorer prognoses compared to those without LLNM, highlighting the need for effective preoperative stratification to reliably assess risk LLNM. In this study, we collected PTMC samples from Peking Union Medical College Hospital and employed data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry proteomics technique to identify protein profiles in PTMC tissues with and without LLNM. Pseudo temporal analysis and single sample gene set enrichment analysis were conducted in combination with The Cancer Genome Atlas Thyroid Carcinoma for functional coordination analysis and the construction of a prediction model based on random forest. Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) clustering was utilized to classify molecular subtypes of PTMC. Our findings revealed that the differential activation of pathways such as MAPK and PI3K was critical in enhancing the lateral lymph node metastatic potential of PTMC. We successfully screened biomarkers via machine learning and public databases, creating an effective prediction model for metastasis. Additionally, we explored the mechanism of metastasis-associated PTMC subtypes via NMF clustering. These insights into LLNM mechanisms in PTMC may contribute to future biomarker screening and the identification of therapeutic targets.

Systemic Lipid Metabolism Dysregulation as a Possible Driving Force of Fracture Non-Unions?

INTRODUCTION

Non-unions are fractures that do not heal properly, resulting in a false joint formation at the fracture site. This condition leads to major health issues and imposes a burden on national healthcare systems. The etiology of non-unions is still not fully understood; therefore, we aimed to identify potential systemic factors that may contribute to their formation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional concomitant proteomic and metabolomic pilot study of blood plasma in patients with non-unions (N = 11) and compared them with patients with bone fracture in the normal active healing phase (N = 12).

RESULTS

We found five significantly upregulated proteins in the non-union group: immunoglobulin heavy variable 3-74, immunoglobulin lambda variable 2-18, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4, zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein, and serum amyloid A-1 protein; and we found one downregulated protein: cystatin-C. The metabolomic study found differences in alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism pathways between two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The combined results of proteomic and metabolomic analyses suggest that the dysregulation of lipid metabolism may contribute to non-union formation.

CAP superfamily proteins in human: a new target for cancer therapy

The CAP (Cysteine-rich secretory protein, Antigen 5, and Pathogenesis-related protein 1) superfamily proteins (CAP proteins) are found in all kingdoms of life. The cysteine-rich secreted proteins are prevalent in human organs and tissues and serve as critical signaling molecules within cells, regulating a wide range of biochemical processes in the human body. Due to their involvement in numerous biological processes, CAP proteins have recently attracted significant attention, particularly in the context of tumorigenesis and cancer therapy. This review summarizes the expression patterns and roles of CAP proteins in various cancers. Additionally, it analyzes the mechanisms by which CAP proteins affect cancer cell proliferation and survival, regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition, influence drug resistance, and regulate epigenetics. The review reveals that CAP proteins play distinct roles in various signaling pathways, such as the MAPK, PI3K-Akt, and p53 pathways, which are crucial for tumor progression. Furthermore, this review summarizes the tumor-inhibiting function of CAP proteins and their potential as cancer biomarkers. These findings suggest that CAP proteins represent a promising new target for innovative cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Decoding the past and future of distant metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma: a bibliometric analysis from 2004 to 2023

Background

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid malignancy, and its distant metastasis (PTCDM), although uncommon, seriously affects the survival rate and quality of life of patients. With the rapid development of science and technology, research in the field of PTCDM has accumulated rapidly, presenting a complex knowledge structure and development trend.

Methods

In this study, bibliometric analysis was used to collect 479 PTCDM-related papers published between 2004 and 2023 through the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Keyword clustering analysis was performed using VOSviewer and citespace, as well as dual-map overlay analysis, to explore knowledge flows and interconnections between different disciplines.

Results

The analysis indicated that China, the United States, and South Korea were the most active countries in conducting research activities. Italy's research was notable due to its higher average citation count. Keyword analysis revealed that "cancer," "papillary thyroid carcinoma," and "metastasis" were the most frequently used terms in these studies. The journal co-citation analysis underscored the dominant roles of molecular biology, immunology, and clinical medicine, as well as the growing importance of computer science in research.

Conclusion

This study identified the main trends and scientific structure of PTCDM research, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and the crucial role of top academic journals in promoting high-quality research. The findings not only provide valuable information for basic and clinical research on thyroid cancer but also offer guidance for future research directions.

Proteomic and Phosphoproteomic analysis of thyroid papillary carcinoma: Identification of potential biomarkers for metastasis

Thyroid cancer has emerged as the most rapidly proliferating solid neoplasm. In this study, we included a cohort of patients who underwent sonographic assessment and surgical intervention at the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, associated with the School of Medicine at Zhejiang University, spanning from January 2019 to June 2020. Stratification of cases was based on a combination of preoperative ultrasonographic evaluations and postoperative histopathological diagnoses, resulting in three distinct groups: high-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) labeled as C1, low-risk PTC designated as C2, and a control group (N) composed of benign thyroid tissue adjacent to the carcinoma. Proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses were conducted on PTC specimens. The comparative assessment revealed that proteins up-regulated in the C1/N and C2/N groups were predominantly involved in functions such as amino acid binding, binding of phosphorylated compounds, and serine protease activity. Notably, proteins like NADH dehydrogenase, ATP synthase, oxidoreductases, and iron ion channels were significantly elevated in the C1 versus C2 comparative group. Through meticulous analysis of differential expression multiples, statistical significance, and involvement in metabolic pathways, this study identified eight potential biomarkers pertinent to PTC metastasis diagnostics, encompassing phosphorylated myosin 10, phosphorylated proline-directed protein kinase, leucine tRNA synthetase, 2-oxo-isovalerate dehydrogenase, succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, ADP/ATPtranslocase, pyruvate carboxylase, and fibrinogen. Therapeutic assays employing metformin, an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, alongside the phosphorylation-specific inhibitor ML-7 targeting Myosin10, demonstrated attenuated cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities in thyroid cancer cells, accompanied by a reduction in amino acid pools. Cellular colocalization and interaction studies elucidated that AMPK activation imposes an inhibitory influence on Myosin10 levels. The findings of this research corroborate the utility of proteomic and phosphoproteomic platforms in the identification of metastatic markers for PTC and suggest that modulation of AMPK activity, coupled with the inhibition of Myosin10 phosphorylation, may forge novel therapeutic avenues in the management of thyroid carcinoma. SIGNIFICANCE: The significance of our research lies in its potential to transform the current understanding and management of thyroid papillary carcinoma (PTC), particularly in its metastatic form. By integrating both proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses, our study not only sheds light on the molecular alterations associated with PTC but also identifies eight novel biomarkers that could serve as indicators of metastatic potential.

MicroRNA Expression Profiling-Potential Molecular Discrimination of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Subtypes

Recent research has revealed the importance of miRNAs in the diagnosis and clinical evolution of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). We aim to identify a specific miRNA profile that could differentiate between specific subtypes of PTC.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, total RNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded tissues of 43 patients, 17 with an infiltrative follicular variant of PTC (iFVPTC) and 26 with a conventional variant of PTC (cPTC). Nine miRNAs were evaluated using qRT-PCR technology and specific miRNA assays.

RESULTS

We found specific patterns for cPTC and iFVPTC, such as miRNA altered in both types of tumours (miR-146b-5p, miR-181a-5p, miR-221-3p, miR-21-5p and miR-222-3p) and two miRNAs significantly expressed only in cPTC (miR-20b-5p, miR-21-5p). The iFVPTC group presented strong and moderate correlations between miRNA expression and clinical data. miR-221-3p, miR-195-5p, miR-181-5p, miR-146b-5p and miR-222 were correlated with age, tumour size (TS) or lymph node metastases (N), while only miR-20b-5p, miR-195-5p and miR-181-5p were correlated with TS, N and age in the cPTC group.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study allowed the identification of a signature of two miRNAs to confirm miRNA differences between the two histological subtypes of TC. Our results provide advances in the molecular diagnosis of TC and could help to improve the diagnostic performance of already existing molecular classifiers.