Expression of thyroid-specific transcription factors in thyroid carcinoma, contralateral thyroid lobe and healthy thyroid gland in dogs

Thyrotropin receptor (TSH-R), thyroglobulin (Tg), thyroperoxidase (TPO), thyroid specific transcription factor-1 (TTF-1), paired box 8 transcription factor (PAX-8), insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) transcripts were determined by real-time PCR in follicular carcinoma and contralateral (CL) lobes, and healthy thyroid canine glands. Concentrations of TSH-R, PAX-8, and ERα mRNA were not different among groups; the carcinoma group had lower Tg and TPO mRNA than healthy and CL groups, while no differences were found between the two latter groups, suggesting that the carcinoma tissue presents an altered capacity to synthesize thyroid hormones. The transcription factor that promotes thyrocytes proliferation, TTF-1 as well as IGF-1, presented a greater mRNA expression in the CL group, suggesting that the CL lobe may function in a compensatory state.