1.Immunohistochemical Expression of COX-2 in Thyroid Nodules.
Sang Jin KIM ; Jae Hak LEE ; Ji Sung YOON ; Ji O MOK ; Yeo Joo KIM ; Hyeong Kyu PARK ; Chul Hee KIM ; Dong Won BYUN ; Kyo Il SUH ; Myung Hi YOO
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 2003;18(4):225-229
BACKGROUND: Recent evidence indicates that elevated COX-2 expression is associated with the carcinogenesis of numerous neoplasms. In this study, we investigated COX-2 expression in various thyroid specimens in order to elucidate its physiological role in pathologic conditions, and to evaluate the efficiency of COX-2 protein expression as a molecular marker of malignancy in the thyroid gland. METHODS: COX-2 expression was studied immunohistochemically in 19 papillary carcinomas, 8 follicular carcinomas, 14 follicular adenomas, 2 H rthle cell carcinomas, 4 H rthle cell adenomas, 8 nodular hyperplasias, 3 Graves' diseases, 3 Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 2 medullary carcinomas, 1 anaplastic carcinoma, and 20 normal thyroid tissues. RESULTS: COX-2 staining was not seen in any of the normal thyroid, Graves' disease, or nodular hyperplasia specimens. In contrast, COX-2 staining was observed in all of papillary carcinomas, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, H rthle cell carcinomas, and H rthle cell adenomas tissues. Moreover, 7 of 8 follicular carcinomas and 11 of 14 follicular adenomas showed COX-2 staining. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that COX-2 is not useful as a marker of malignancy. Since COX-2 expression was evident in follicular adenomas and in papillary and follicular carcinomas. Thus, the enzyme may be involved in the early process of thyroid tumorigenesis.
Human
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*Immunohistochemistry
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Isoenzymes/*analysis
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Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthase/*analysis
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Thyroid Nodule/*enzymology/*pathology
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Tumor Markers, Biological/*analysis