Aurora B Overexpression Associates with the Thyroid Carcinoma Undifferentiated Phenotype and Is Required for Thyroid Carcinoma Cell Proliferation

• DOI: 10.1210/jc.2004-1518
• Publication Date: 2005-02-08T01:17:00Z
• Authors: Rosanna Sorrentino; Silvana Libertini; Pier Lorenzo Pall...; Giancarlo Troncone; Lucio Palombini; Vassilios Bavetsias; Daniela Spalletti...; Paolo Laccetti; Spiros Linardopoulos; Paolo Chieffi; Alfredo Fusco; Giuseppe Portella
• Keywords: Base Sequence; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Carcinoma; Transplantation, Heterologous; Mice, Nude; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; 3. Good health; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Phenotype; 0302 clinical medicine; Aurora Kinases; Cell Line, Tumor; Animals; Aurora Kinase B; Humans; Thyroid Neoplasms; Cell Division; DNA Primers

Alterations in chromosome number (aneuploidy) are common in human neoplasias. Loss of mitotic regulation is believed to induce aneuploidy in cancer cells and act as a driving force during the malignant progression. The serine/theronine protein kinases of aurora family genes play a critical role in the regulation of key cell cycle processes. Aurora B mediates chromosome segregation by ensuring orientation of sister chromatids and overexpression of Aurora B in diploid human cells NHDF (normal human diploid fibroblast) induces multinuclearity. We analyzed Aurora B expression in human thyroid carcinomas. Cell lines originating from different histotypes showed an increase in Aurora B expression. Immunohistochemical analysis of archive samples showed a high expression of Aurora B in anaplastic thyroid carcinomas; conversely, Aurora B expression was not detectable in normal thyroid tissue. Real-time PCR analysis confirmed a strong expression of Aurora B in anaplastic thyroid carcinomas. The block of Aurora B expression induced by RNA interference or by using an inhibitor of Aurora kinase activity significantly reduced the growth of thyroid anaplastic carcinoma cells.