Torosian L, Manrique G, Alvarez B, Lago G, Roca R, Belzarena C
Departamento Básico de Medicina, Hospital de Clínicas, Facultad de Medicina, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Rev Esp Med Nucl. 2010 May-Jun;29(3):109-13. doi: 10.1016/j.remn.2009.12.010.
During the last years several groups have used the technique of RT-PCR for the detection of circulating thyroid cells, through the amplification of thyroglobulin (Tg) and TSH receptor(TSH-R) mRNA; however the published results are controversial. In this study we investigated the utility for the detection of Tg and TSH-R mRNA by RT-PCR in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) during treatment with levothyroxine.
We investigated the expression of Tg and TSH-R mRNA by single and nested RT-PCR in the blood of 3 groups of subjects: (A) 34 patients with DTC and no evidence of disease, (B) 8 patients with DTC and evidence of local or distant metastasis and (C) 13 normal subjects. Expression levels of Tg mRNA were also analysed by comparative semi-quantitative RT-PCR.
Tg and TSH-R mRNA signals were detected in all subjects (patients with DTC with and without evidence of disease and in normal subjects) by single or nested RT-PCR. By semi-quantitative RT-PCR and densitometric analysis of PCR products, mean levels of circulating Tg mRNA of the 3 groups were: Group A 0.182+/-0.107, Group B 0.329+/-0.298 and Group C 0.305+/-0.217.
Single or nested RT-PCR for Tg and TSH-R mRNA is not a suitable tool in the follow-up of patients with DTC. Lower levels of Tg mRNA in patients with DTC without evidence of disease, although not significant, may indicate that small numbers of thyroid cells may be normally present in the circulation or may represent an ectopic transcription of messengers from blood cells.
在过去几年中，有几个研究小组通过扩增甲状腺球蛋白（Tg）和促甲状腺激素受体（TSH-R）mRNA，利用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）技术检测循环甲状腺细胞；然而，已发表的结果存在争议。在本研究中，我们调查了在接受左甲状腺素治疗的分化型甲状腺癌（DTC）患者中，通过RT-PCR检测Tg和TSH-R mRNA的实用性。
我们通过单重和巢式RT-PCR研究了3组受试者血液中Tg和TSH-R mRNA的表达：（A）34例无疾病证据的DTC患者，（B）8例有局部或远处转移证据的DTC患者，以及（C）13名正常受试者。还通过比较半定量RT-PCR分析了Tg mRNA的表达水平。
通过单重或巢式RT-PCR在所有受试者（有或无疾病证据的DTC患者以及正常受试者）中均检测到了Tg和TSH-R mRNA信号。通过半定量RT-PCR和PCR产物的光密度分析，3组循环Tg mRNA的平均水平为：A组0.182±0.107，B组0.329±0.298，C组0.305±0.217。
用于检测Tg和TSH-R mRNA的单重或巢式RT-PCR并非DTC患者随访的合适工具。无疾病证据的DTC患者中Tg mRNA水平较低，尽管不显著，但可能表明循环中可能正常存在少量甲状腺细胞，或者可能代表血细胞信使的异位转录。
