Circular Oligomers in Mitochondrial DNA of Human and Beef Nonmalignant Thyroid Glands

Abstract Circular dimers and higher oligomers of mitochondrial DNA have previously only been described in tumor cells. This work demonstrates that such oligomers are also consistently found in a relatively high content (10-37% in weight) in nonmalignant human and beef thyroid glands. Therefore, these forms cannot be assumed to be specific for malignancy, even if they could be related to it in some instances.