Mutual regulation of TGF-β1, TβRII and ErbB receptors expression in human thyroid carcinomas

The role of EGF and TGF-β1 in thyroid cancer is still not clearly defined. TGF-β1 inhibited the cellular growth and migration of follicular (FTC-133) and papillary (B-CPAP) thyroid carcinoma cell lines. Co-treatments of TGF-β1 and EGF inhibited proliferation in both cell lines, but displayed opposite effect on their migratory capability, leading to inhibition in B-CPAP and promotion in FTC-133 cells, by a MAPK-dependent mechanism. TGF-β1, TβRII and EGFR expressions were evaluated in benign and malignant thyroid tumors. Both positivity (51.7% and 60.0% and 80.0% in FA and PTC and FTC) and overexpression (60.0%, 77.7% and 75.0% in FA, PTC and FTC) of EGFR mRNA correlates with the aggressive tumor behavior. The moderate overexpression of TGF-β1 and TβRII mRNA in PTC tissues (61.5% and 62.5%, respectively), counteracted their high overexpression in FTC tissues (100% and 100%, respectively), while EGFR overexpression was similar in both carcinomas. Papillary carcinomas were positive to E-cadherin expression, while the follicular carcinomas lose E-cadherin staining. Our findings of TGF-β1/TβRII and EGFR overexpressions together with a loss of E-cadherin observed in human follicular thyroid carcinomas, and of increased migration ability MAPK-dependent after EGF/TGF-β1 treatments in the follicular thyroid carcinoma cell line, reinforced the hypothesis of a cross-talk between EGF and TGF-β1 systems in follicular thyroid carcinomas phenotype.