Cyclooxygenase-2 in normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic follicular cells of the human thyroid gland

• Published in: Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology Vol. 447; no. 1; pp. 12 - 17
• Main Authors: GARCIA-GONZALEZ, Miguel, ABDULKADER, Ihab, VAZQUEZ BOQUETE, Angel, LENS NEO, Xosé Manuel, FORTEZA, Jeronimo, CAMESELLE-TEIJEIRO, José
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.07.2005; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adenoma - enzymology; Adenoma - genetics; Adenoma - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Breast cancer; Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular - enzymology; Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular - secondary; Cyclooxygenase 2; DNA, Neoplasm - analysis; Humans; Hyperplasia - enzymology; Hyperplasia - genetics; Hyperplasia - pathology; Immunoenzyme Techniques; In Situ Hybridization; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Membrane Proteins; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - genetics; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - metabolism; Thyroid; Thyroid gland; Thyroid Gland - enzymology; Thyroid Gland - pathology; Thyroid Neoplasms - enzymology; Thyroid Neoplasms - genetics; Thyroid Neoplasms - pathology; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Endocrine gland; Papillary carcinoma; Enzyme; Follicular cell; Cyclooxygenase 2; Hyperplasia; Thyroid gland; Malignant tumor; Normal; Anatomic pathology; Thyroid cancer; In situ hybridisation; Undifferentiated carcinoma; Oxidoreductases; Cyclooxygenase-2
• DOI: 10.1007/s00428-005-1235-1
• ISSN: 0945-6317

This study was undertaken to investigate cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in follicular cells of the human thyroid. COX-2 expression was studied immunohistochemically in a total of 174 samples. COX-2 immunoreactivity was confined to the cell cytoplasm with the nuclei remaining unlabelled. COX-2 expression was observed in five cases (17.2%) of normal follicular cells and in one case (16.6%) of solid cell nests. Follicular carcinoma expressed COX-2 more frequently than follicular adenoma (93.4% vs 21.1%) (p<or=0.001). A higher percentage of cases of papillary microcarcinomas up-regulated COX-2 in comparison with all papillary carcinomas (p<or=0.05). However, we could not establish any relationships among COX-2, patients' ages or lymph node metastases in papillary carcinomas. COX-2 expression was found in 12 (92.3%) poorly differentiated carcinomas and in 13 (92.8%) undifferentiated carcinomas. We found that COX-2 is not always useful as a marker of malignancy. Our results suggest that COX-2 plays a role in progression of all thyroid carcinomas, but in papillary carcinomas, seems more important only in the early stages. COX-2 expression in the undifferentiated carcinoma deserves special consideration due to its prognosis and to the fact that selective COX-2 inhibitors were found to enhance tumour response to radiation in some studies.