Abstract: ObjectiveTo detect the expression and function of ZNRF3 in different kinds of thyroid cancer tissues and cells. MethodsImmunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of ZNRF3 protein in 35 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma and 10 cases of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The expressions of ZNRF3 gene in TPC1 and 8505C were detected by RTPCR, and the cell lines were derived from papillary thyroid carcinoma and poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma respectively. After silenced ZNRF3 gene expression with lentivirus, the proliferation ability of TPC1 cells were detected with CCK8, the invasion and metastasis ability of TPC1 cells were detected with Transwell. ResultsAccording to results of immunohistochemistry and RTPCR, the expressions of ZNRF3 in papillary thyroid carcinoma cells and tissues were higher than those in poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma cells and tissues, the differences were statistically significant (4.83±0.44 vs.3.13±0.59, t=2.20, P<0.05; 1.01±0.06 vs.0.21±0.04, t=11.80, P<0.01). After ZNRF3 geng silencing, according to the results of CCK8, the proliferation ability of TPC1 cells was significantly enhanced in 72 h, the difference was statistically significant (0.96±0.10 vs.0.64±0.05, t=3.19, P<0.05); and according to the results of Transwell, the TPC1 cell′s invasion (0.12±0.01 vs.0.09±0.00, t=5.48, P<0.01) and migration (0.22±0.01 vs.0.17±0.01, t=4.58, P<0.05) also increased, the differences were statistically significant. ConclusionThe expression of ZNRF3 in papillary thyroid carcinoma is higher than that in poorly differentiated thyroid cancer. ZNRF3 is tumor suppressor gene in the thyroid tumors.

Key words: Gene expression regulation, Genes silencing, Thyroid neoplasms, ZNRF3 gene