Changes in the chromatin structure of the thyroid cells related to the expression of the thyroglobulin gene

: A highly purified thyroglobulin mRNA was isolated from human nodal euthyroid goiter. A full-length cDNA was synthesized from 33S RNA by using reverse transcriptase in the presence of human placenta ribonuclease inhibitor. A DNA complementary to human Tg mRNA was used in liquid hybridization experiments to quantify Tg mRNA. The amount of Tg mRNA in euthyroid nodal and congenital goiter was reduced. In thyroid cancer Tg specific mRNA was absent. Direct correlation between Tg gene expression in thyroid cells and DNAase-I hypersensitivity of chromatin from the thyroid gland nucleus was revealed.