Analyis of genotypic profile of IL-4 e IL-4R (receptor) genes in differentiated thyroid Carcinomas

• Grant number: 12/18930-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Laura Sterian
• Grantee: Maitê Nadeshiko Ocampo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Despite ultrasound examinations revealing the presence of thyroid nodules in half the population submitted to them, thyroid cancer affects not more than 10 to 20 per 100,000 inhabitants. In another hand, the incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is increasing continuously in the whole world. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that there will be 10,590 new cases of thyroid cancer, with an estimated risk of 11 cases per 100 000 women in 2012. Thus, the number of thyroidectomies due to micro lesions increased significantly. Therefore, it is crucial to find markers that allow the distinction of malignancy of thyroid nodules as well as allowing better delineate management strategies and monitoring. Our research group and others have been showing that neoplastic thyroid cells are associated with a molecular profile and immune response that may be related to malignancy and aggressiveness. In a prior publication, we have demonstrated that interleukin (IL) 10, but not IL-18, could be involved in the immune response against the DTC. This study aims to determine whether others IL are associated with the DTC, thus they can be used as molecular markers for diagnosis and/or prognosis. For this purpose, we will use the TaqMan SNP Genotyping technique to study polymorphisms of IL-4 and IL-4R (receptor) of 100 individuals followed at Clinic Thyroid Cancer HC-Unicamp by DTC and 100 control. This project is included in an ongoing research line of our group (Analysis of biomarkers of immune response in cancer. Project PNPD-CAPES; Evaluation of the potential practical utility of serum markers for thyroid cancer. FAPESP-09542, Study on the mechanisms of tumor immune-evasion employed by differentiated thyroid carcinomas. FAPESP-00394-0) involving several pos graduated and under graduated students (FAPESP-2009/17634-7; 2010/11769-5; 2011/20704-1).(AU)