Correlation between thyroid-stimulating hormone-peroxiredoxin1 signaling pathway and invasion of papillary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

In order to assess the significance of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR), peroxiredoxin1 (Prx1), thioredoxin1 (Trx1), hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)alpha in invasion and metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The 34 paraffin-embedded specimen of classical PTC, 39 of tall cell variant of PTC and normal thyroid tissues adjacent to cancer operated in Tianjin Cancer Hospital from 2003 to 2007 were tested. The expressions of TSHR, Prx1, Trx1, HIF-1alpha in the specimen were assayed by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation between the 4 factors (TSHR, Prx1, Trx1, HIF-1alpha) and clinical features of PTC such as gender, age, tumor size, invasion, lymph node metastasis, histological type and T stage were studied. The rates of immuno-positive staining Prx1, Trx1 and HIF-1alpha in PTC were higher than the normal thyroid tissues adjacent to cancer with significant difference respectively (chi2 were 5.49, 6.16 and 40.48, P<0.05). The positive expression rate of TSHR in PTC was lower than the normal thyroid tissues adjacent to cancer (chi2=15.70, P<0.05), in tall cell variant of PTC was lower than classical PTC (chi2=4.24, P<0.05). The positive expression rates of Prx1, Trx1 and HIF-1alpha in PTC with local invasion, with lymph node metastasis, in tall cell variant and in stage T3-T4 were higher than PTC without local invasion, without metastasis, in classical variant and in stage T1-T2 with significant difference respectively (P<0.05). There were correlation between the expressions of Prx1 and Trx1, Trx1 and HIF-1alpha (r1 were 0.664 and 0.652, P<0.05). The high expressions of Prx1, Trx1 and HIF-1alpha were related to invasion and lymph node metastasis in PTC. TSH may promote the development of thyroid carcinoma by TSH-Prx1-Trx1-HIF-1 signaling pathway.