| Research Abstract |
1. RET protein overexpression was immunohistochemically revealed in the sequence order of normal follicular epithelium, follicular carcinoma, follicular adenoma, poorly differentiated papillary carcinoma, lymphocytic thyroiditis and well differentiated papillary carcinoma.
Increased expression of RET protein was stronger in well differentiated papillary carcinoma with lymphocytic thyroiditis in the background than without thyroiditis, although the difference did not reach the significance.
2. RT-PCR-Southern blot hybridization showed activation of RED protoncogene in every lesion, possibly due to contamination of endothelium within the thyroid tissue.
3. Point mutations of ras gene was rare in papillary carcinomas, although frequent N-ras mutations was found in follicular carcinomas.
In conclusion, RET protein expression has an intimate relationship to the development of lymphocytic thyroiditis and thyroid papillary carcinoma. However, it is suggested that another markers are necessary to confirm the promotion effect of lymphocytic thyroiditis in thyroid carcinogenesis.
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