Molecular Diagnostics

British Journal of Cancer (2005) 93, 464–471. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6602721 www.bjcancer.com
Published online 2 August 2005

UbcH10 overexpression may represent a marker of anaplastic thyroid carcinomas

P Pallante1, M T Berlingieri1, G Troncone2, M Kruhoffer3, T F Orntoft3, G Viglietto1, A Caleo2, I Migliaccio2, M Decaussin-Petrucci4, M Santoro1, L Palombini2 and A Fusco1,5

  1. 1Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare c/o Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli 'Federico II', via Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
  2. 2Dipartimento di Anatomia Patologica e Citopatologia, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università di Napoli 'Federico II', via Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
  3. 3Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby DK 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
  4. 4Service d'Anatomo-Pathologie, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Pierre Bénite, France
  5. 5NOGEC (Naples Oncogenomic Center)-CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, via Comunale Margherita, 80131 Naples, Italy

Correspondence: Dr A Fusco, Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli and, NOGEC (Naples Oncogenomic Center)-CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate, via Pansini 5, 80131 Napoli, Italy. E-mail: afusco@napoli.com

Received 2 March 2005; Revised 16 June 2005; Accepted 22 June 2005; Published online 2 August 2005.

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Abstract

The hybridisation of an Affymetrix HG_U95Av2 oligonucleotide array with RNAs extracted from six human thyroid carcinoma cell lines and a normal human thyroid primary cell culture led us to the identification of the UbcH10 gene that was upregulated by 150-fold in all of the carcinoma cell lines in comparison to the primary culture cells of human normal thyroid origin. Immunohistochemical studies performed on paraffin-embedded tissue sections showed abundant UbcH10 levels in thyroid anaplastic carcinoma samples, whereas no detectable UbcH10 expression was observed in normal thyroid tissues, in adenomas and goiters. Papillary and follicular carcinomas were only weakly positive. These results were further confirmed by RT–PCR and Western blot analyses. The block of UbcH10 protein synthesis induced by RNA interference significantly reduced the growth rate of thyroid carcinoma cell lines. Taken together, these results would indicate that UbcH10 overexpression is involved in thyroid cell proliferation, and may represent a marker of thyroid anaplastic carcinomas.

Keywords:

UbcH10, thyroid, carcinomas, immunohistochemistry