Minimally invasive video-assisted technique (MIVAT) was initially described by Miccoli and colleagues in Italy. The MIVAT without gas infusion was introduced in the clinical practice to treat small benign thyroid nodules and had advantages in terms of cosmetic results compared with the conventional approach. To compare the outcome in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) patients treated with MIVAT and conventional procedure, and evaluate the feasibility of MIVAT applied in PTMC patients. Data of 35 PTMC patients with MIVAT and 33 others with conventional procedure were analyzed and compared, including postoperative outcomes, operative time, incidence of complications, the completeness of operation, and the prognosis of tumor after a follow-up of 5 years. With regard to the postoperative outcomes, a significantly statistical difference was found between MIVAT group and the conventional procedure group. The mean operative time in the MIVAT group was longer than that in the conventional group. However, it was similar to the convention group when only the mean operative time of the last 5 patients in the MIVAT group was estimated. The rate of temporary hypoparathyroidism was significantly lower in MIVAT group compared with the convention group, and the incidences of other complications had no significant difference. With regard to the completeness of operation and the prognosis of tumor, no differences were found between the 2 groups. MIVAT can be safely applied in PTMC patients with positive impact on patients outcome by comparable results to a conventional procedure after a median follow-up of 5 years. Thus it is a better alternative therapeutic treatment for patients with PTMC.

Background. Thyroid carcinoma (THCA) is one of the most common malignancies of the endocrine system, which is usually treated by surgery combined with iodine-131 (I¹³¹) radiotherapy. Aims. This study is aimed at exploring the potential targets of I¹³¹ radiotherapy in THCA. Methods. The RNA-sequencing data of THCA in The Cancer Genome Atlas database (including 568 THCA samples) was downloaded. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the tumour samples whether or not subjected to I¹³¹ radiotherapy were identified using edgeR package. Using the WGCNA package, the module that was relevant with I¹³¹ radiotherapy was selected. The intersection genes of the hub module nodes and the DEGs were obtained as hub genes, followed by the function and pathway enrichment analyses using the clusterProfiler package. Moreover, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network for the hub genes was constructed using Cytoscape software. In addition, more important hub genes were analysed with function mining using the GenCLiP2 online tool. The qPCR analysis was used to verify the mRNA expression of more important hub genes in THCA tissues. Results. There were 500 DEGs (167 upregulated and 333 downregulated) between the two groups. WGCNA analysis showed that the green module (428 nodes) exhibited the most significant correlation with I¹³¹ radiotherapy. A PPI network was built after the identification of 53 hub genes. In the PPI network, CDH5, KDR, CD34, FLT4, EMCN, FLT1, ROBO4, PTPRB, and CD93 exhibited higher degrees, which were mainly implicated in the vascular function. The relative expression of nine mRNAs in the THCA tissues treated with I¹³¹ was lower. Conclusion. I¹³¹ radiotherapy might exert therapeutic effects by targeting CDH5, KDR, CD34, FLT4, EMCN, FLT1, ROBO4, PTPRB, and CD93 in THCA patients.

Objective. Rap1GAP is considered a tumor suppressor gene, but its regulatory mechanism in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has not been clearly elucidated. The aim of this study was to explore whether the regulation between Rap1GAP and sodium/iodine transporter (NIS) in tumorigenesis of PTC is mediated by TGF‐β1. Methods. Western blotting (WB) and quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction were performed to analyze the relationships between TGF‐β1 concentration and NIS expression. After transfecting BCPAP cells with siRNAs, the Rap1GAP interference model was successfully established. Then, the expression and nuclear localization of TGF‐β1 and pathway‐related proteins were detected. Flow cytometry was applied to analyze cell apoptosis and cycle. WB was performed to detect apoptotic‐related proteins. Wound healing and transwell assays were used to measure cell migration and invasion. EDU was performed to detect cell proliferative activity. Results. The results suggested that TGF‐β1 could significantly inhibit the expression of NIS in both mRNA and protein levels. In BCPAP cells transfected with siRNA‐Rap1GAP, the expression levels of TGF‐β1, Foxp3, and p‐Smad3 were significantly increased. By applying immunofluorescence assay, the nuclear localizations of TβR‐1 and p‐Smad3 were found to be activated. Moreover, anti‐TGF‐β1 can reverse the decrease in NIS expression caused by downregulation of Rap1GAP. Additionally, the knockdown of Rap1GAP could alter the cell apoptosis, cycle, migration, invasion, and proliferation of BCPAP. Conclusion. The downregulation of Rap1GAP expression can activate the TGF‐β/Smad3 pathway to inhibit NIS expression and alter the tumor cell functions of PTC.