Polyclonal and monoclonal thyroid nodules coexist within human multinodular goiters

Although somatic mutations have been identified in a subset of thyroid nodules, the pathogenesis of nodules in multinodular goiters remains unclear. Clonal analysis indicates whether a nodule arises from the polyclonal proliferation of a group of cells or forms a clone from a genetically altered cel...

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Published inThe journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 79; no. 1; p. 134
Main Authors Kopp, P, Kimura, E T, Aeschimann, S, Oestreicher, M, Tobler, A, Fey, M F, Studer, H
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.07.1994
Subjects
Adult
Aged
Blotting, Southern
Clone Cells
Deoxyribonuclease HpaII
Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific
DNA Probes
Dosage Compensation, Genetic
Female
Genetic Markers
Goiter, Nodular - genetics
Goiter, Nodular - pathology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
Stem Cells - pathology
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Summary:Although somatic mutations have been identified in a subset of thyroid nodules, the pathogenesis of nodules in multinodular goiters remains unclear. Clonal analysis indicates whether a nodule arises from the polyclonal proliferation of a group of cells or forms a clone from a genetically altered cell. Individual thyroid nodules have been shown to be of polyclonal or monoclonal origin. In this study we examined the clonality of several different nodules in patients with multinodular goiters. Clonality was established using the X-chromosomal probe M27 beta, which detects a multiallelic polymorphism at the locus DXS255 in 90% of females. Twenty-five nodules from 9 multinodular goiters were analyzed; 9 nodules were polyclonal, and 16 were monoclonal. Three goiters contained only polyclonal nodules, whereas 3 contained only monoclonal nodules. Polyclonal and monoclonal nodules coexisted in 3 goiters. In 2 goiters, the monoclonal nodules were shown to derive from different progenitor cells. We conclude that polyclonal and monoclonal nodules may coexist in multinodular goiters and that monoclonal nodules can originate from different cells. The coexistence of polyclonal and monoclonal nodules suggests that different pathogenic mechanisms occur simultaneously or that monoclonal nodules emerge secondarily from a polyclonal population due to a growth advantage from a genetically altered cell.
ISSN:0021-972X
DOI:10.1210/jc.79.1.134