Causal associations of autoimmune thyroiditis and papillary thyroid carcinoma: mRNA expression of selected nuclear receptors and other molecular targets

Potential causal associations of autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) have been studied previously. The mRNA expression patterns of thyroid hormone receptors (TR), retinoid receptors (RAR), rexinoid receptors (RXR), dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptors (VDR), and progesterone receptors (PR) in PTC tissue of patients without autoimmune thyroiditis (PTC/AIT-) and in PTC tissue of patients with coexisting AIT (PTC/AIT+) have been investigated in order to judge whether the observed changes may take part in the promotion and progression of thyroid cancer. Tumours with or without AIT were classified histologically and the semiquantitative PCR was performed. The results revealed that there was decreased expression of TRα, TRβα, RARα and PR mRNA in PTC/AIT+ tumours when compared with PTC/AIT- tumours. Decreased expression of RARα in PTC/AIT+ was detected when compared with PTC/AIT- patients. A similar effect of AIT was observed with a decrease in RARγ expression in PTC/AIT+ patients. On the other hand, there was an increased expression of VDR in thyroid tumours (PTC/AIT+) when compared with PTC/AIT-. PR mRNA was decreased in the thyroid tumours of PTC/AIT+ patients when compared with PTC/AIT- patients. In addition, there was an increased expression of MKi67 and complement C3 in PTC of PTC/AIT+ when compared with PTC/AIT-. In the PTC/AIT+ group, a decreased level of IGF-1 mRNA was found when compared with the PTC/AIT- group. According to the significant differences of the studied markers in PTC/AIT+ compared with PTC/AIT-, it was indicated that AIT may be a predisposing factor for the development of PTC.