Clonal characterization of sporadic cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma by laser microdissection-based APC mutation analysis

Am J Clin Pathol. 2007 Dec;128(6):994-1001. doi: 10.1309/YXR3PKK4TV3DJC56.

Abstract

Cribriform-morular variant (C-MV) of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is a rare and unusual neoplasm composed of multiple histologic components, including cribriform, papillary, solid, tall columnar, and morular patterns. Analyses of gross C-MV of PTC lesions has linked adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) mutations to its pathogenesis; however, the extent of involvement of mutations in the development of individual components is unclear. We report on bidirectional sequencing of the mutation cluster region (codons 1032-1565) of the APC gene in individually laser-microdissected components of a previously unreported C-MV of PTC. A silent Thr1493Thr gene variant was found in all tumoral components, whereas a 5-base-pair frameshift deletion at codon 1309 was identified only in the morules. Neither variant was observed in matched normal thyroid tissue. These results show the histologic components of C-MV of PTC to have some common mutational background, although additional somatic mutations may be involved in the development of morular structures.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / genetics*
  • Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / pathology
  • Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / surgery
  • Adult
  • Base Sequence
  • Clone Cells
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • DNA, Neoplasm / analysis
  • Female
  • Genes, APC*
  • Humans
  • Lasers
  • Microdissection / methods*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / surgery

Substances

  • DNA, Neoplasm