Study of transcription factors and their relation with thyroid nodules

• Grant number: 13/18683-7
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: February 01, 2014 - January 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal researcher: Ligia Vera Montali da Assumpção
• Grantee: Ligia Vera Montali da Assumpção
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Laura Sterian

Abstract

Thyroid nodules, benign and malignant, have become increasingly frequent, impeling the search for markers for their diagnosis and prognosis. Three thyroid-specific transcription factors are involved in maintaining the differentiation of the gland and its carcinogenesis: TTF-1, FOXE1 and PAX8. The expression levels of these genes are related to the degree of tissue differentiation in thyroid tumors. The transcriptional repressor DREAM is also involved in thyroid-specific gene expression through interaction with the thyroglobulin gene and the transcription factors TTF-1, FOXE1 and PAX8. DREAM can also act as an intracellular endogenous effector of TSH receptor activating cAMP signaling. An increased expression of DREAM is related to the thyroid enlargement and nodular development. The study of DREAM gene has started on a an undergraduate research project of a student involved in this project (FAPESP 2011/06474-9), in which we searched for mutations in this gene in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The purpose of this project is to analyze the expression of TTF-1, FOXE1, PAX8 and DREAM genes in benign and malignant thyroid tumor tissues and identify possible mutations in the DREAM gene in patients with thyroid nodules. For that purpose, we will use DNA and RNA extracted from thyroid tumor tissues from 100 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma and another 100 patients with benign nodules. The analysis of gene expression will be performed by real time PCR and the detection of mutations in DREAM gene will be done by automatic sequencing. The data obtained will be correlated to clinical features and patients' outcomes. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BATISTA, FERNANDO A.; MARCELLO, MARJORY A.; MARTINS, MARIANA B.; PERES, KARINA C.; CARDOSO, ULIEME O.; SILVA, ALINE C. D. N.; BUFALO, NATASSIA E.; SOARES, FERNANDO A.; DA SILVA, MARCIO J.; ASSUMPCAO, V, LIGIA; WARD, LAURA S. Diagnostic utility of DREAM gene mRNA levels in thyroid tumours. ARCHIVES OF ENDOCRINOLOGY METABOLISM, v. 62, n. 2, p. 205-211, MAR-APR 2018. Web of Science Citations: 0.

BATISTA, F. A.; WARD, L. S.; MARCELLO, M. A.; MARTINS, M. B.; PERES, K. C.; TORRICELLI, C.; BUFALO, N. E.; SOARES, F. A.; DA SILVA, M. J.; ASSUMPCAO, L. V. M. Gene expression of thyroid-specific transcription factors may help diagnose thyroid lesions but are not determinants of tumor progression. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, v. 39, n. 4, p. 423-429, APR 2016. Web of Science Citations: 6.