Use of sodium iodide symporter expression in differentiated thyroid carcinomas

Objective We aimed to investigate the use of NIS mRNA and protein expression as a diagnostic and/or prognostic marker in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Design This is a case-control study. Patients We studied 397 thyroid nodules tissue samples, including 224 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), 41 follicular carcinomas, 58 nodular goiters, 56 follicular adenomas and 18 normal tissues assembled in a tissue microarray. Measurements NIS protein was identified using a monoclonal antibody that labelled only the follicular cell basolateral membrane of all 397 tissue samples. In addition, NIS mRNA was quantified in 145 DTC patients and 85 PTC cases were screened for BRAF(V600E) mutation. Results We found low NIS mRNA expression and low or negative NIS protein expression in most DTC. NIS expression was lower in DTC patients over 45 years old and in tumours larger than 2 cm. There was a tendency for lower NIS expression in advanced stages and patients presenting recurrences. All 13 DTC patients who succumbed to the disease were NIS negative at immunohistochemistry and had very low mRNA expression. NIS expression was lower in PTC presenting BRAF(V600E) mutation. However, neither NIS immunohistochemical analysis nor NIS mRNA quantified expression could identify individuals with poor prognosis. Conclusions Our data suggest that NIS expression may help characterize patients' risk and individuals with a poor response to therapy, but is not useful as a diagnostic or prognostic marker, reinforcing the current concept that an appropriate management of DTC patient is the most important and modifiable prognostic factor.