Marzocchi C, Capezzone M, Sagnella A, Cartocci A, Caroli Costantini M, Brindisi L, Mancini V, Cantara S, Castagna MG. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A mRNA expression as a marker for differentiated thyroid cancer: results from a "surgical" and a "cytological" series.
J Endocrinol Invest 2022;
45:369-378. [PMID:
34350538 PMCID:
PMC8783868 DOI:
10.1007/s40618-021-01655-9]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE
Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPPA) is a metalloproteinase initially described for its role during pregnancy. PAPPA regulates IGF ligands 1 (IGF1) bioavailability through the degradation of IGF-binding protein 4 (IGFBP4). After the cleavage of IGFBP4, free IGF1 is able to bind IGF1 receptors (IGF1R) triggering the downstream signaling. Recently, PAPPA expression has been linked with development of several cancers. No data have been published on thyroid cancer, yet.
METHODS
We evaluated PAPPA, insulin-like growth factor (IGF1), IGF1 receptors (IGF1R) and IGF-binding protein 4 (IGFBP4) mRNA expression levels in a "Surgical series" of 94 thyroid nodules (64 cancers, 16 follicular adenomas and 14 hyperplastic nodules) and in a "Cytological series" of 80 nodules from 74 patients underwent to fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). In tissues, PAPPA was also evaluated by western blot.
RESULTS
We found that PAPPA expression was increased in thyroid cancer specimen at mRNA and protein levels and that, adenomas and hyperplastic nodules had an expression similar to normal tissues. When applied on thyroid cytologies, PAPPA expression was able to discriminate benign from malignant nodules contributing to pre-surgical classification of the nodules. We calculated a cut-off with a good specificity (91%) which reached 100% when combined with molecular biology.
CONCLUSION
These results show that PAPPA could represent a promising diagnostic marker for differentiated thyroid cancer.
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