PubMed Health⌕ Search
Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 11288981

Growth factor expression in cold and hot thyroid nodules.

M Eszlinger·K Krohn·J Kratzsch·C Voigt·R Paschke
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Hot thyroid nodules (HTNs) are predominantly caused by constitutively activating thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) mutations leading to an activation of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-cascade that stimulates growth and function of thyroid epithelial cells and confers growth advantage. In contrast to HTNs, the molecular etiology of szintigraphically cold thyroid nodules (CTNs) is largely unknown. An increased prevalence of toxic multinodular goiters in iodine-deficient regions has been reported. Growth factors increase during early stages of iodine deficiency in rats. These growth factors could modulate the proliferation of thyrocytes. In order to determine if and which growth factors could modulate the increase in thyroid epithelial cell proliferation in late stages of CTNs and HTNs we investigated epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), and TGF-beta1 concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) in CTNs (n = 7), HTNs (n = 9), and their normal surrounding tissue (ST). Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was determined in CTNs (n = 5) and HTNs (n = 10) and their surrounding tissues by radioimmunoassay (RIA). We found lower concentrations of all investigated growth factors and iodine in CTNs compared to surrounding normal tissues (ST). Only iodine showed a significant difference. Furthermore, we found significantly lower concentrations of EGF and TGF-beta1 concentration in HTNs compared to their STs. Differences of TGF-alpha and IGF-1 were not significant. In conclusion, low EGF, TGF-alpha, and IGF-1 concentrations in most CTNs in spite of low iodine concentrations argue against a pathophysiologic role of EGF, TGF-alpha, or IGF-1 in late stages of CTNs. The low EGF, TGF-alpha, and IGF-1 concentrations in HTNs irrespective of their clonal origin or the presence or absence of activating mutations argue for increased cAMP as the primary cause for thyroid epithelial cell proliferation in established HTNs. However, the pathophysiologic significance of low TGF-beta1 concentrations in CTNs and HTNs remains to be elucidated. It might be possible that growth factors like EGF, TGF-alpha, TGF-beta1, and IGF-1 play a more prominent role during early clonal expansion and that aberrant intrinsic signaling through a somatic mutation (e.g., TSHR for HTNs) confers the predominant selective growth advantage in later stages of HTNs or CTNs.

Explore related subjects

Epidermal Growth FactorGrowth SubstancesHumansInsulin-Like Growth Factor IIodineOsmolar ConcentrationReference ValuesThyroid GlandThyroid NoduleTransforming Growth Factor alphaTransforming Growth Factor betaTransforming Growth Factor beta1Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

M Eszlinger, K Krohn, J Kratzsch, C Voigt, R Paschke. 2001. Growth factor expression in cold and hot thyroid nodules.. https://doi.org/10.1089/105072501300042767

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2022

A multi-omic analysis of MCF10A cells provides a resource for integrative assessment of ligand-mediated molecular and phenotypic responses.

The phenotype of a cell and its underlying molecular state is strongly influenced by extracellular signals, including growth factors, hormones, and extracellular matrix proteins. While these signals are normally tightly controlled, their dysregulation leads to phenotypic and molecular states associated with diverse diseases. To develop a detailed understanding of the linkage between molecular and phenotypic changes, we generated a comprehensive dataset that catalogs the transcriptional, proteomic, epigenomic and phenotypic responses of MCF10A mammary epithelial cells after exposure to the ligands EGF, HGF, OSM, IFNG, TGFB and BMP2. Systematic assessment of the molecular and cellular phenotypes induced by these ligands comprise the LINCS Microenvironment (ME) perturbation dataset, which has been curated and made publicly available for community-wide analysis and development of novel computational methods ( synapse.org/LINCS_MCF10A ). In illustrative analyses, we demonstrate how this dataset can be used to discover functionally related molecular features linked to specific cellular phenotypes. Beyond these analyses, this dataset will serve as a resource for the broader scientific community to mine for biological insights, to compare signals carried across distinct molecular modalities, and to develop new computational methods for integrative data analysis.

Epidermal Growth Factor↗
PubMed2006

Mutations in the EGF-CFC gene cryptic are an infrequent cause of congenital heart disease.

Cryptic (CFC1), a member of the epidermal growth factor-Cripto/FRL-1/Cryptic (EGF-CFC) gene family, is involved in the evolutionarily conserved establishment of left-right lateral asymmetry. Inactivation of Cfc1 in mice results in laterality defects and complex cardiac malformations. Similarly, mutations in the human CFC1 gene have been identified in patients with heterotaxy syndrome. The cardiac defects in humans resemble those in mice lacking Cfc1. We postulated that some patients with isolated cardiac malformations could also have mutations in the CFC1 gene. Our analysis of the CFC1 gene in 167 patients with congenital heart disease revealed a novel A145T missense variant in 3 patients with type II atrial septal defect. Furthermore, we found the previously characterized R78W polymorphism in another patient with type II atrial septal defect. However, the A145T sequence alteration was also identified in 3 controls, suggesting that this variant is a polymorphism. We conclude that CFC1 variants could be a rare cause of congenital heart disease in patients without laterality defects.

Epidermal Growth Factor↗
PubMed2006

Nanostructure of fibrillin-1 reveals compact conformation of EGF arrays and mechanism for extensibility.

Fibrillin-1 is a 330-kDa multidomain extracellular matrix protein that polymerizes to form 57-nm periodic microfibrils, which are essential for all tissue elasticity. Fibrillin-1 is a member of the calcium-binding EGF repeat family and has served as a prototype for structural analyses. Nevertheless, both the detailed structure of fibrillin-1 and its organization within microfibrils are poorly understood because of the complexity of the molecule and the resistance of EGF arrays to crystallization. Here, we have used small-angle x-ray scattering and light scattering to analyze the solution structure of human fibrillin-1 and to produce ab initio structures of overlapping fragments covering 90% of the molecule. Rather than exhibiting a uniform rod shape as current models predict, the scattering data revealed a nonlinear conformation of calcium-binding EGF arrays in solution. This finding has major implications for the structures of the many other EGF-containing extracellular matrix and membrane proteins. The scattering data also highlighted a very compact, globular region of the fibrillin-1 molecule, which contains the integrin and heparan sulfate-binding sites. This finding was confirmed by calculating a 3D reconstruction of this region using electron microscopy and single-particle image analysis. Together, these data have enabled the generation of an improved model for microfibril organization and a previously undescribed mechanism for microfibril extensibility.

Epidermal Growth Factor↗