Hemeoxygenase-1 expression and role in thyroid cancer

ALONSO EG; PICHEL P; MASCARO M; SCHWEITZER K; FERNANDEZ CHAVEZ L; COLÓ GP; PICARDI G; RECIO S; CARBALLIDO JA; ARÉVALO J; CASTELLANO L; FACCHINETTI MM; GANDINI NA; CURINO AC

Mar del Plata

Congreso; LXIV Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC); 2019

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC)

Hemoxygenase (HO) is a microsomal enzyme that catalyzes the first-rate limiting step of degradation of the heme group, producing equimolar amounts of biliverdin, carbon monoxide (CO) and free iron. Two isoforms have been identified in mammals. One of them, HO-1, is inducible by different stimuli. It has been seen that the three degradation products of the heme group have important functions in physiology and pathology. In addition, it has been reported that HO-1 can be translocated to multiple cell compartments and have signaling functions. Our laboratory, among others, has provided evidence showing that HO-1 plays an important role in cancer. However, the mechanisms through which HO-1 affects tumor progression are not fully elucidated. Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common endocrine tumor, and its incidence has been rising significantly over the past few decades. Differentiated TC including papillary and follicular are associated with a good prognosis. On the contrary, anaplastic (undifferentiated) subtype and medullary thyroid carcinoma have an unfavorable evolution. The first tool for the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules and subsequent choice of treatment is Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) being a minimally invasive technique compared to open biopsies. Around 10-30% (Bethesda III-IV) of the results obtained with this technique are considered uncertain, but among them 20-25% are diagnosed as TC after surgery and 75-80% of patients undergo an unnecessary thyroidectomy. As far as we know there are only three reports studying the relationship between HO-1 and TC. In these studies, a pro-tumoral role has been reported for HO-1, as well as that its expression correlates with its aggressiveness