Cyclin D1 Overexpression in Thyroid Carcinomas: Relation with Clinico-Pathological Parameters,Retinoblastoma Gene Product,and Ki67 Labeling Index

Cyclin Dl is a Gl cyclin participating in the control of cell cycle progression through interaction with the retinoblastoma gene product (pRB). The overexpression of positive regulators (such as cyclin Dl) has been reported in a variety of neoplasms, but their role in thyroid tumorigenesis is yet to be established. In our series of 54 thyroid carcinomas, cyclin Dl overexpression (detected by both immunohistochemistry and by Northern blotting) was correlated with prognostic variables, proliferative activity and pRB. Cyclin Dl overexpression was observed in 35% of thyroid carcinomas with a significantly higher expression of this cyclin in neoplastic tissues than in matched normal parenchyma. In well-differentiated carcinomas, the cyclin Dl mRNA overexpression was inversely correlated with nodal status (p = 0.03), while the protein product was higher in tumors from patients less than 40 than patients over 40 years of age. Inversely, there was no significant correlation with gender and tumor status, pRB and with proliferative activity.