Foxp3 expression is associated with aggressiveness in differentiated thyroid carcinomas

OBJECTIVES: Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) expression has been observed in human cancer cells but has not yet been reported in thyroid cells. We investigated the prognostic significance of both FoxP3 expression and intratumoral FoxP3+ lymphocyte infiltration in differentiated thyroid carcinoma cells. METHO...

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Main Authors: Lucas Leite Cunha, Elaine Cristina Morari, Suely Nonogaki, Fernando Augusto Soares, José Vassallo, Laura Sterian Ward
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier España 2012-01-01
Series:Clinics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322012000500013
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author Lucas Leite Cunha
Elaine Cristina Morari
Suely Nonogaki
Fernando Augusto Soares
José Vassallo
Laura Sterian Ward
author_facet Lucas Leite Cunha
Elaine Cristina Morari
Suely Nonogaki
Fernando Augusto Soares
José Vassallo
Laura Sterian Ward
author_sort Lucas Leite Cunha
collection DOAJ
description OBJECTIVES: Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) expression has been observed in human cancer cells but has not yet been reported in thyroid cells. We investigated the prognostic significance of both FoxP3 expression and intratumoral FoxP3+ lymphocyte infiltration in differentiated thyroid carcinoma cells. METHODS: We constructed a tissue microarray with 385 thyroid tissues, including 266 malignant tissues (from 253 papillary thyroid carcinomas and 13 follicular carcinomas), 114 benign lesions, and 5 normal thyroid tissues. RESULTS: We determined the expression of FoxP3 in both tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes using immunohistochemical techniques. Cellular expression of FoxP3 was evident in 71% of benign and 91.9% of malignant tissues. The nuclear and cytoplasmic expression patterns were quantified separately. A multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that cytoplasmic FoxP3 expression is an independent risk factor for thyroid malignancy. Cytoplasmic FoxP3 staining was inversely correlated with patient age. Nuclear FoxP3 staining was more intense in younger patients and in tumors presenting with metastasis at diagnosis. FoxP3+ lymphocytes were more frequent in tumors smaller than 2 cm, those without extrathyroidal invasion, and in patients with concurrent chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated FoxP3 expression in differentiated thyroid carcinoma cells and found evidence that this expression may exert an important influence on several features of tumor aggressiveness.
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spelling doaj.art-f620deeb782c48fdb9c971cbd1f8b8b32022-12-22T01:23:01ZengElsevier EspañaClinics1807-59321980-53222012-01-0167548348810.6061/clinics/2012(05)13Foxp3 expression is associated with aggressiveness in differentiated thyroid carcinomasLucas Leite CunhaElaine Cristina MorariSuely NonogakiFernando Augusto SoaresJosé VassalloLaura Sterian WardOBJECTIVES: Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) expression has been observed in human cancer cells but has not yet been reported in thyroid cells. We investigated the prognostic significance of both FoxP3 expression and intratumoral FoxP3+ lymphocyte infiltration in differentiated thyroid carcinoma cells. METHODS: We constructed a tissue microarray with 385 thyroid tissues, including 266 malignant tissues (from 253 papillary thyroid carcinomas and 13 follicular carcinomas), 114 benign lesions, and 5 normal thyroid tissues. RESULTS: We determined the expression of FoxP3 in both tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes using immunohistochemical techniques. Cellular expression of FoxP3 was evident in 71% of benign and 91.9% of malignant tissues. The nuclear and cytoplasmic expression patterns were quantified separately. A multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that cytoplasmic FoxP3 expression is an independent risk factor for thyroid malignancy. Cytoplasmic FoxP3 staining was inversely correlated with patient age. Nuclear FoxP3 staining was more intense in younger patients and in tumors presenting with metastasis at diagnosis. FoxP3+ lymphocytes were more frequent in tumors smaller than 2 cm, those without extrathyroidal invasion, and in patients with concurrent chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated FoxP3 expression in differentiated thyroid carcinoma cells and found evidence that this expression may exert an important influence on several features of tumor aggressiveness.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322012000500013FoxP3Regulatory T LymphocytesDifferentiated Thyroid Carcinoma
spellingShingle Lucas Leite Cunha
Elaine Cristina Morari
Suely Nonogaki
Fernando Augusto Soares
José Vassallo
Laura Sterian Ward
Foxp3 expression is associated with aggressiveness in differentiated thyroid carcinomas
Clinics
FoxP3
Regulatory T Lymphocytes
Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma
title Foxp3 expression is associated with aggressiveness in differentiated thyroid carcinomas
title_full Foxp3 expression is associated with aggressiveness in differentiated thyroid carcinomas
title_fullStr Foxp3 expression is associated with aggressiveness in differentiated thyroid carcinomas
title_full_unstemmed Foxp3 expression is associated with aggressiveness in differentiated thyroid carcinomas
title_short Foxp3 expression is associated with aggressiveness in differentiated thyroid carcinomas
title_sort foxp3 expression is associated with aggressiveness in differentiated thyroid carcinomas
topic FoxP3
Regulatory T Lymphocytes
Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322012000500013
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