BRAF及其细胞外信号调节激酶1/2信号通路蛋白在甲状腺乳头状癌中的表达及意义

摘要

目的:研究BRAF基因及其丝裂原活化蛋白/胞外信号调节激酶的激酶(mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase,MEK)/细胞外信号调节激酶(extracellular signal-regulated kinase,ERK)信号通路与甲状腺乳头状癌发生的相关性及部分作用机制.方法:收集73例散发的甲状腺乳头状癌患者及16例同期甲状腺瘤患者(对照组)的临床资料及标本.采用免疫组织化学和免疫印迹法检测两组标本组织中的大鼠肉瘤蛋白(rat sarcoma,RAS),BRAF,MEK1/2和ERK1/2表达状况.结果:甲状腺乳头状癌组RAS,BRAF,pMEK1/2和pERK1/2表达水平明显高于甲状腺瘤组(P＜0.05或P＜0.01)；甲状腺乳头状癌患者RAS,BRAF,pMEK1/2和pERK1/2表达与肿块大小、淋巴结转移以及临床分期相关(P＜0.05或P＜0.01).结论:RAS,BRAF,pMEK1/2及pERK1/2可能与甲状腺乳头状癌发生及其淋巴结转移、临床分期相关；BRAF可能通过激活MEK/ERK信号通路而发挥其生物作用.%Objective: To determine the association between activity of BRAF and mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK) / extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)signal pathway in papillary thyroid cancer and its mechanism.Methods: We collected the clinical data and blood samples from 73 cases of papillary thyroid cancer and another 16 cases of benign thyroid gland tumor, and detected the expression of rat sarcoma (RAS), BRAF, MEK1/2, and ERK1/2 in all tumor specimens and benign thyroid tissues with immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results: The expression of RAS, BRAF, pMEKl/2, and pERKl/2 protein in papillary thyroid cancer tissues was higher than those in the benign thyroid tissues(P<0.05 or P<0.0l). The expression of RAS, BRAF, MEK1/2, and ERKl/2 was associated with the tumor size, the lymph node metastasis, and the clinical stage of papillary thyroid cancer(P<0.05 orP<0.0l).Conclusion: The expression of RAS, BRAF, pMEKl/2, and pERKl/2 is associated with the pathogenesis, the lymph node metastasis, and the clinical stage of papillary thyroid cancer. The MEK/ERK signaling pathway may be activated by BRAF in papillary thyroid cancer.