1
|
Cabané P, Correa C, Bode I, Aguilar R, Elorza AA. Biomarkers in Thyroid Cancer: Emerging Opportunities from Non-Coding RNAs and Mitochondrial Space. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6719. [PMID: 38928426 PMCID: PMC11204084 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer diagnosis primarily relies on imaging techniques and cytological analyses. In cases where the diagnosis is uncertain, the quantification of molecular markers has been incorporated after cytological examination. This approach helps physicians to make surgical decisions, estimate cancer aggressiveness, and monitor the response to treatments. Despite the availability of commercial molecular tests, their widespread use has been hindered in our experience due to cost constraints and variability between them. Thus, numerous groups are currently evaluating new molecular markers that ultimately will lead to improved diagnostic certainty, as well as better classification of prognosis and recurrence. In this review, we start reviewing the current preoperative testing methodologies, followed by a comprehensive review of emerging molecular markers. We focus on micro RNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and mitochondrial (mt) signatures, including mtDNA genes and circulating cell-free mtDNA. We envision that a robust set of molecular markers will complement the national and international clinical guides for proper assessment of the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricio Cabané
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Clinica INDISA, Santiago 7520440, Chile; (P.C.); (C.C.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile
- Department of Basic and Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Claudio Correa
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Clinica INDISA, Santiago 7520440, Chile; (P.C.); (C.C.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile
| | - Ignacio Bode
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile;
| | - Rodrigo Aguilar
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile;
| | - Alvaro A. Elorza
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370071, Chile;
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Condello V, Paulsson JO, Zedenius J, Näsman A, Juhlin CC. Spatial Transcriptomics in a Case of Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma Reveals Clone-Specific Dysregulation of Genes Regulating Extracellular Matrix in the Invading Front. Endocr Pathol 2024; 35:122-133. [PMID: 38280140 PMCID: PMC11176252 DOI: 10.1007/s12022-024-09798-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) is recognized by its ability to invade the tumor capsule and blood vessels, although the exact molecular signals orchestrating this phenotype remain elusive. In this study, the spatial transcriptional landscape of an FTC is detailed with comparisons between the invasive front and histologically indolent central core tumor areas. The Visium spatial gene expression platform allowed us to interrogate and visualize the whole transcriptome in 2D across formalin-fixated paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections. Four different 6 × 6 mm areas of an FTC were scrutinized, including regions with capsular and vascular invasion, capsule-near area without invasion, and a central core area of the tumor. Following successful capturing and sequencing, several expressional clusters were identified with regional variation. Most notably, invasive tumor cell clusters were significantly over-expressing genes associated with pathways interacting with the extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Subsets of these genes (POSTN and DPYSL3) were additionally validated using immunohistochemistry in an independent cohort of follicular thyroid tumors showing a clear gradient pattern from the core to the periphery of the tumor. Moreover, the reconstruction of the evolutionary tree identified the invasive clones as late events in follicular thyroid tumorigenesis. To our knowledge, this is one of the first 2D global transcriptional mappings of FTC using this platform to date. Invasive FTC clones develop in a stepwise fashion and display significant dysregulation of genes associated with the ECM and EMT - thus highlighting important molecular crosstalk for further investigations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Condello
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Johan O Paulsson
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Zedenius
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Breast, Endocrine Tumors, and Sarcoma, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anders Näsman
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - C Christofer Juhlin
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Matos MDL, Pinto M, Alves M, Canberk S, Gonçalves A, Bugalho MJ, Papoila AL, Soares P. Cyto-Histological Profile of MicroRNAs as Diagnostic Biomarkers in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinomas. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:389. [PMID: 38540448 PMCID: PMC10970297 DOI: 10.3390/genes15030389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The repertoire of microRNAs (miRNAs) in thyroid carcinomas starts to be elucidated. Among differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTCs), papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent. The assessment of miRNAs expression may contribute to refine the pre-surgical diagnosis in order to obtain a personalized and more effective treatment for patients. AIMS This study aims to evaluate (1) the miRNAs in a series of DTCs, and their association with the presence of selected genetic mutations in order to improve diagnosis and predict the biologic behavior of DTC/PTC. (2) The reliability of molecular tests in Ultrasound-guided Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (US-FNAC) for a more precise preoperative diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS This series includes 176 samples (98 cytology and 78 histology samples) obtained from 106 patients submitted to surgery, including 13 benign lesions (controls) and 93 DTCs (cases). The microRNA expression was assessed for miR-146b, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-15a through quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The results were analyzed by the 2-ΔΔCT method, using miR16 as an endogenous control. Regarding PTC diagnosis, the discriminative ability of miRNAs expression was assessed by the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC). In PTCs, the association of miRNAs expression, clinicopathological features, and genetic mutations (BRAF, RAS, and TERTp) was evaluated. RESULTS/DISCUSSION All the analyzed miRNAs presented a tendency to be overexpressed in DTCs/PTCs when compared with benign lesions, both in cytology and histology samples. In cytology, miRNAs expression levels were higher in malignant tumors than in benign tumors. In histology, the discriminative abilities regarding PTC diagnosis were as follows: miR-146b (AUC 0.94, 95% CI 0.87-1), miR-221 (AUC 0.79, 95% CI 0.68-0.9), miR-222 (AUC 0.76, 95% CI 0.63-0.89), and miR-15a (AUC 0.85, 95% CI 0.74-0.97). miR-146b showed 89% sensitivity (se) and 87% specificity (sp); miR-221 se = 68.4, sp = 90; miR-222 se = 73, sp = 70; and mi-R15a se = 72, sp = 80. MicroRNAs were associated with worst-prognosis clinicopathological characteristics in PTCs (p < 0.05), particularly for miR-222. Our data reveal a significant association between higher expression levels of miR-146b, miR-221, and miR-222 in the presence of the BRAF mutation (p < 0.001) and miR-146b (p = 0.016) and miR-221 (p = 0.010) with the RAS mutation, suggesting an interplay of these mutations with miRNAs expression. Despite this study having a relatively small sample size, overexpression of miRNAs in cytology may contribute to a more precise preoperative diagnosis. The miRNAs presented a good discriminative ability in PTC diagnosis. The association between the miRNAs expression profile and genetic alterations can be advantageous for an accurate diagnosis of DTCs/PTCs in FNAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria de Lurdes Matos
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Hospital Curry Cabral, Unidade Saúde Local São José, Centro Clínico e Académico de Lisboa, 1050-166 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mafalda Pinto
- Institute for Research & Innovation in Health (i3S), Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.P.); (S.C.)
| | - Marta Alves
- Gabinete de Estatística do Centro de Investigação, Unidade Saúde Local São José, Nova Medical School, Centro de Estatística e Aplicações da Universidade de Lisboa (CEAUL), 1169-166 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.A.); (A.L.P.)
| | - Sule Canberk
- Institute for Research & Innovation in Health (i3S), Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.P.); (S.C.)
| | - Ana Gonçalves
- Department of Pathology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Maria João Bugalho
- Department of Endocrinology, Hospital de Santa Maria, Unidade Saúde Local Santa Maria and Medical Faculty, University of Lisbon, 1069-028 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Ana Luísa Papoila
- Gabinete de Estatística do Centro de Investigação, Unidade Saúde Local São José, Nova Medical School, Centro de Estatística e Aplicações da Universidade de Lisboa (CEAUL), 1169-166 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.A.); (A.L.P.)
| | - Paula Soares
- Institute for Research & Innovation in Health (i3S), Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.P.); (S.C.)
- Department of Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
de la Fouchardière C, Fugazzola L, Locati LD, Alvarez CV, Peeters RP, Camacho P, Simon IM, Jarząb B, Netea-Maier R. Improved guidance is needed to optimise diagnostics and treatment of patients with thyroid cancer in Europe. Endocrine 2024; 83:585-593. [PMID: 38001324 PMCID: PMC10901911 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-023-03610-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Although thyroid cancer (TC) is generally associated with a favourable prognosis, there are certain high-risk groups with a clear unmet therapeutic need. Unravelling the genomic landscape of TC has recently led to the development of novel effective targeted treatments. To date, these treatments have mostly been evaluated in non-randomised single-arm phase II clinical trials and are consequently non-reimbursed in several countries. Furthermore, most of these agents must be tailored to individual patient molecular characteristics, a context known as personalised cancer medicine, necessitating a requirement for predictive molecular biomarker testing. Existing guidelines, both in Europe and internationally, entail mostly therapeutic rather than molecular testing recommendations. This may reflect ambiguity among experts due to lack of evidence and also practical barriers in availability of the preferred molecular somatic screening and/or targeted treatments. This article reviews existing European recommendations regarding advanced/metastatic TC management with a special focus on molecular testing, and compares findings with real-world practice based on a recent survey involving TC experts from 18 European countries. Significant disparities are highlighted between theory and practice related to variable access to infrastructure, therapies and expertise, together with the insufficient availability of multidisciplinary tumour boards. In particular, practitioners' choice of what, how and when to test is shown to be influenced by the expertise of the available laboratory, the financing source and the existence of potential facilitators, such as clinical trial access. Overall, the need of a collaborative initiative among European stakeholders to develop standardised, accessible molecular genotyping approaches in TC is underscored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Fugazzola
- Division of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura D Locati
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Medical Oncology Unit, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Clara V Alvarez
- Neoplasia & Endocrine Differentiation, Centro de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Enfermedades Crónicas (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IDIS), 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Robin P Peeters
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Barbara Jarząb
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology Gliwice Branch, 44-102, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Romana Netea-Maier
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Macvanin MT, Gluvic ZM, Zaric BL, Essack M, Gao X, Isenovic ER. New biomarkers: prospect for diagnosis and monitoring of thyroid disease. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1218320. [PMID: 37547301 PMCID: PMC10401601 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1218320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
After the metabolic syndrome and its components, thyroid disorders represent the most common endocrine disorders, with increasing prevalence in the last two decades. Thyroid dysfunctions are distinguished by hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or inflammation (thyroiditis) of the thyroid gland, in addition to the presence of thyroid nodules that can be benign or malignant. Thyroid cancer is typically detected via an ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and cytological examination of the specimen. This approach has significant limitations due to the small sample size and inability to characterize follicular lesions adequately. Due to the rapid advancement of high-throughput molecular biology techniques, it is now possible to identify new biomarkers for thyroid neoplasms that can supplement traditional imaging modalities in postoperative surveillance and aid in the preoperative cytology examination of indeterminate or follicular lesions. Here, we review current knowledge regarding biomarkers that have been reliable in detecting thyroid neoplasms, making them valuable tools for assessing the efficacy of surgical procedures or adjunctive treatment after surgery. We are particularly interested in providing an up-to-date and systematic review of emerging biomarkers, such as mRNA and non-coding RNAs, that can potentially detect thyroid neoplasms in clinical settings. We discuss evidence for miRNA, lncRNA and circRNA dysregulation in several thyroid neoplasms and assess their potential for use as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mirjana T. Macvanin
- Department of Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zoran M. Gluvic
- Clinic for Internal Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Zemun Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Bozidarka L. Zaric
- Department of Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Magbubah Essack
- Computer Science Program, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Xin Gao
- Computer Science Program, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Esma R. Isenovic
- Department of Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ulisse S, Baldini E, Pironi D, Gagliardi F, Tripodi D, Lauro A, Carbotta S, Tarroni D, D’Armiento M, Morrone A, Forte F, Frattaroli F, Persechino S, Odorisio T, D’Andrea V, Lori E, Sorrenti S. Is Melanoma Progression Affected by Thyroid Diseases? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231710036. [PMID: 36077430 PMCID: PMC9456309 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231710036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical and epidemiological evidence indicate a relationship between thyroid diseases and melanoma. In particular, the hypothyroidism condition appears to promote melanoma spread, which suggests a protective role of thyroid hormones against disease progression. In addition, experimental data suggest that, in addition to thyroid hormones, other hormonal players of the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) axis, namely the thyrotropin releasing hormone and the thyrotropin, are likely to affect melanoma cells behavior. This information warrants further clinical and experimental studies in order to build a precise pattern of action of the HPT hormones on melanoma cells. An improved knowledge of the involved molecular mechanism(s) could lead to a better and possibly personalized clinical management of these patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Ulisse
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Enke Baldini
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Daniele Pironi
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Gagliardi
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Tripodi
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Augusto Lauro
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Sabino Carbotta
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Danilo Tarroni
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo D’Armiento
- Scientific Direction, IRCCS San Gallicano Dermatological Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Aldo Morrone
- Scientific Direction, IRCCS San Gallicano Dermatological Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Flavio Forte
- Urology Department, M.G. Vannini Hospital, 00177 Rome, Italy
| | - Flaminia Frattaroli
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Severino Persechino
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Teresa Odorisio
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cell Biology, Istituto Dermopatico dell’Immacolata, IDI-IRCCS, 00167 Rome, Italy
| | - Vito D’Andrea
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Lori
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Sorrenti
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|