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  • Title: Overexpression of wild-type c-RET and zero prevalence of RET/PTC rearrangements are associated with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in Kuwait.
    Author: El-Abdallah AA, Junaid TA.
    Journal: Exp Mol Pathol; 2011 Feb; 90(1):61-5. PubMed ID: 20950609.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is common in Kuwait. The activation of the RET oncogene by DNA rearrangement (RET/PTC) is known to have an important role in PTC carcinogenesis. However, the real frequency of the RET/PTC expression in PTC is variable between different studies. This study seeks to determine the prevalence of RET/PTC and to analyze the RET oncogene expression associated with PTC in Kuwait. METHODS: RET expression and DNA rearrangements (RET/PTC 1, RET/PTC 2 and RET/PTC 3) were studied by RT-PCR in different thyroid diseases. Results were confirmed by the Southern blot and by immunohistochemistry. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to determine the level of RET mRNA expression in PTCs. RESULTS: Wild-type (nonrearranged) c-RET oncogene was overexpressed in 60% of PTC cases and absent in follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), follicular adenomas (FA) or normal thyroid. No RET/PTC rearrangement was detected in any sample. The c-RET expression in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and multinodular goiter was limited to follicular cells with PTC-like nuclear changes. CONCLUSIONS: The overexpression of wild-type c-RET is a characteristic molecular event of PTCs in Kuwait. The prevalence of RET/PTC is zero and among the lowest recorded in the world.
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