Epigenetic regulation of TTF-1and its differentiation-inducing properties

在甲状腺中，甲状腺转录因子-1(TTF-1)是甲状腺器官发生所必需的，并通过调节多种甲状腺特异基因来调节甲状腺功能。然而，某些亚型的甲状腺癌表现出TTF-1低表达或阴性表达。本研究的目的是探讨表观遗传修饰在甲状腺癌细胞TTF-1调控失调中的作用。我们的数据表明，表观遗传学参与了TTF-1在甲状腺癌中的失活，并为通过表观遗传学修饰将TTF-1作为诱导分化治疗的靶点提供了可能。

In the thyroid, Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is essential for thyroid organogenesis and governs thyroid functions by regulating various thyroid-specific genes. However, certain subtypes of thyroid cancers have shown low or negative expression of TTF-1. The aim of our study was to investigate the function of epigenetic modification in dysregulation of TTF-1 in thyroid carcinoma cells. Our data showed that epigenetics is involved with inactivation of TTF-1 in thyroid carcinomas, and provide a possible means of using TTF-1 as a target for differentiation-inducing therapy through epigenetic modification.