Hypoxia-inducible factor 1a (HIF 1a) and monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT 1) in papillary thyroid carcinoma; A study in Sulaimani City/Iraq

Abstract

Background and objectives: Papillary thyroid carcinoma is one of the most common cancers of human, monocarbox- ylate transporter 1 and hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha expressions in many tumors have recently being targets for treatment, HIF-1a has been correlated with increased angiogenesis, aggressive tumor growth, and poor patient prognosis. Marked increases in the levels of monocarboxylate transporters are a hallmark of several human malignancies. The objectives of this study are to evaluate expression of MCT1 and HIF1a in papillary thyroid carcinoma and compare them to the expression in non-malignant thyroid tissue, also correlate their expression with poor outcome parameters as lymph node status, tumor size, capsular and vascular invasions. Methods: The study samples composed of 68 cases; 52 males, and 16 females, age ranging from 15-73 years, that had been diagnosed as papillary thyroid carcinoma and compared with 78 cases of non-malignant thyroid tissue regarding the expression of monocarboxylate transporter 1 and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha. Results: Monocarboxylate transporter 1 was negative in 19.1% and positive in 80.9% of the tumors while hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha was negative in 27.9% of the cases and was positive in 72.1%. Both markers show strong expression in tall cell variant and both are negative in non-malignant thyroid tissues with statistically significant different between both. Conclusions: monocarboxylate transporter 1 and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha expression are more intense with the aggressive variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. They can be used as target therapy especially monocarboxylate transporter 1 as it is totally negative in non-malignant thyroid tissue.

Keywords

• Hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha
• Monocarboxylate transporter 1
• Papillary thyroid carcinoma