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Citation
Tags
HERO ID
9841943
Reference Type
Journal Article
Subtype
Review
Title
Potential utility and limitations of thyroid cancer cell lines as models for studying thyroid cancer
Author(s)
Pilli, T; Prasad, KV; Jayarama, S; Pacini, F; Prabhakar, BS
Year
2009
Is Peer Reviewed?
1
Journal
Thyroid
ISSN:
1050-7256
EISSN:
1557-9077
Volume
19
Issue
12
Page Numbers
1333-1342
Language
English
PMID
20001716
DOI
10.1089/thy.2009.0195
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Tumor-derived cell lines are widely used to study the mechanisms involved in thyroid carcinogenesis but recent studies have reported redundancy among thyroid cancer cell lines and identification of some "thyroid cell lines" that are likely not of thyroid origin.
SUMMARY:
In this review, we have summarized the uses, the limitations, and the existing problems associated with the available follicular cell-derived thyroid cancer cell lines. There are some limitations to the use of cell lines as a model to "mimic" in vivo tumors. Based on the gene expression profiles of thyroid cell lines originating from tumors of different types it has become apparent that some of the cell lines are closely related to each other and to those of undifferentiated carcinomas. Further, many cell lines have lost the expression of thyroid-specific genes and have altered karyotypes, while they exhibit activation of several oncogenes (BRAF, v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1; RAS, rat sarcoma; and RET/PTC, rearranged in transformation/papillary thyroid carcinoma) and inactivation of tumor suppressor gene (TP53) which is known to be important for thyroid tumorigenesis.
CONCLUSIONS:
A careful selection of thyroid cancer cell lines that reflect the major characteristics of a particular type of thyroid cancer being investigated could be used as a good model system to analyze the signaling pathways that may be important in thyroid carcinogenesis. Further, the review of literature also suggests that some of the limitations can be overcome by using multiple cell lines derived from the same type of tumor.
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