Molecular pathologic analysis of Niban gene expression and mitochondrial alterations in thyroid cancer and oxyphilic cell tumors

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Niban is a newly identified cancer-related gene, which was first reported in multi-step renal carcinogenes is model of Eker rat. Although its function is unknown, it is assumed to belong to a stress protein family. Little is know about Niban expression in human tumors. In the present study, we investigated Niban expression and its regulations in various human tissues and tumors including thyroid, oxyphilic and other tumors. Up-regulation of Niban was frequently detected in thyroid tumors including papillary and oxyphilic tumors, head & neck squamous cell carcinomas and head & neck squamous dysplasias. Immunohistochemical results correlated with RT-PCR results and Western blot analysis. No mutations of Niban were detected in the exons and in the promoter. Methylation of Niban promoter CpG island was not detected in tumors studied. Niban expression was not correlated with BRAF and GRIM mutations, which were frequently reported in poapillary and oxyphilic tumors. In summary, up-regulation of Niban may play an important role in the carcinogenic process of some tumors. Although relationship of Niban expression and altered mitochondrial functions were speculated, no direct evidence for such relationship was found. Because we did not detect any mutations or methylations in Niban gene, it is unlikely that Niban belongs to classical groups of oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes.