TY - JOUR
T1 - Genetic alterations and their relationship in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway in thyroid cancer
AU - Hou, Peng
AU - Liu, Dingxie
AU - Shan, Yuan
AU - Hu, Shuiying
AU - Studeman, Kimberley
AU - Condouris, Stephen
AU - Wang, Yangang
AU - Trink, Ariel
AU - El-Naggar, Adel K.
AU - Tallini, Giovanni
AU - Vasko, Vasily
AU - Xing, Mingzhao
PY - 2007/2/15
Y1 - 2007/2/15
N2 - Purpose: To investigate the overall occurrence and relationship of genetic alterations in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway in thyroid tumors and explore the scope of this pathway as a therapeutic target for thyroid cancer. Experimental Design: We examined collectively the major genetic alterations and their relationship in this pathway, including PIK3CA copy number gain and mutation, Ras mutation, and PTEN mutation, in a large series of primary thyroid tumors. Results: Occurrence of any of these genetic alterations was found in 25 of 81 (31%) benign thyroid adenoma (BTA), 47 of 86 (55%) follicular thyroid cancer (FTC), 21 of 86 (24%) papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and 29 of 50 (58%) anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), with FTC and ATC most frequently harboring these genetic alterations. PIK3CA copy gain was associated with increased PIK3CA protein expression. A mutual exclusivity among these genetic alterations was seen in BTA, FTC, and PTC, suggesting an independent role of each of them through the PI3K/Akt pathway in the tumorigenesis of the differentiated thyroid tumors. However, coexistence of these genetic alterations was increasingly seen with progression from differentiated tumor to undifferentiated ATC. Their coexistence with BRAF mutation was also frequent in PTC and ATC. Conclusions: The data provide strong genetic implication that aberrant activation of PI3K/Akt pathway plays an extensive role in thyroid tumorigenesis, particularly in FTC and ATC, and promotes progression of BTA to FTC and to ATC as the genetic alterations of this pathway accumulate. Progression of PTC to ATC may be facilitated by coexistence of PI3K/Akt pathway-related genetic alterations and BRAF mutation. The PI3K/Akt pathway may thus be a major therapeutic target in thyroid cancers.
AB - Purpose: To investigate the overall occurrence and relationship of genetic alterations in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway in thyroid tumors and explore the scope of this pathway as a therapeutic target for thyroid cancer. Experimental Design: We examined collectively the major genetic alterations and their relationship in this pathway, including PIK3CA copy number gain and mutation, Ras mutation, and PTEN mutation, in a large series of primary thyroid tumors. Results: Occurrence of any of these genetic alterations was found in 25 of 81 (31%) benign thyroid adenoma (BTA), 47 of 86 (55%) follicular thyroid cancer (FTC), 21 of 86 (24%) papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and 29 of 50 (58%) anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), with FTC and ATC most frequently harboring these genetic alterations. PIK3CA copy gain was associated with increased PIK3CA protein expression. A mutual exclusivity among these genetic alterations was seen in BTA, FTC, and PTC, suggesting an independent role of each of them through the PI3K/Akt pathway in the tumorigenesis of the differentiated thyroid tumors. However, coexistence of these genetic alterations was increasingly seen with progression from differentiated tumor to undifferentiated ATC. Their coexistence with BRAF mutation was also frequent in PTC and ATC. Conclusions: The data provide strong genetic implication that aberrant activation of PI3K/Akt pathway plays an extensive role in thyroid tumorigenesis, particularly in FTC and ATC, and promotes progression of BTA to FTC and to ATC as the genetic alterations of this pathway accumulate. Progression of PTC to ATC may be facilitated by coexistence of PI3K/Akt pathway-related genetic alterations and BRAF mutation. The PI3K/Akt pathway may thus be a major therapeutic target in thyroid cancers.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33947284529&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33947284529&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-06-1125
DO - 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-06-1125
M3 - Article
C2 - 17317825
AN - SCOPUS:33947284529
SN - 1078-0432
VL - 13
SP - 1161
EP - 1170
JO - Clinical Cancer Research
JF - Clinical Cancer Research
IS - 4
ER -