In this study, we aimed to clarify the role of PIM-1 in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in vitro and investigate the relationship between PIM-1 and redox proteins (NOX4, SOD2, and GPX2) at the tissue and cellular levels. As a PIM-1 inhibitor, SGI-1776 inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and induced an increase in apoptosis and reactive oxygen species in two PTC cell lines (BCPAP and TPC-1). The expressions of PIM-1, SOD2 and GPX2 were downregulated after siNOX4 exposure. Immunohistochemistry in 120 PTC patients showed that all four proteins exhibited higher expression levels in PTC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. PIM-1 expression was related to NOX4, SOD2, and GPX2 expressions. The Cancer Genome Atlas database analysis showed the significant correlation between the expression of NOX4 and PIM-1. Our results demonstrated that PIM-1 played an important oncogenic role in PTC carcinogenesis that may be related to oxidative stress.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an extremely aggressive and lethal malignancy characterized by a very short average survival time following diagnosis. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive this aggressiveness is vital for developing effective therapies. This study aimed to elucidate the role and function of La-related protein 1 (LARP1) in ATC progression. We quantitatively analyzed LARP1 expression in patient samples and ATC cell lines. Functional assays were performed to investigate LARP1’s involvement in cancer-related processes, including inhibition of apoptosis, promotion of cell cycle progression, proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion. Our results revealed significantly elevated LARP1 expression in ATC tissues, which may be associated with poor patient prognosis. Experimental data demonstrated that LARP1 enhances oncogenic activities, promoting proliferative and invasive behaviors. These findings provide compelling evidence that LARP1 plays a crucial role in ATC malignancy, offering insights into pathophysiology and potential therapeutic targets.

Background: Glutaredoxin 3 (GLRX3) is involved in cellular redox homeostasis and iron metabolism and may promote the development and progression of various malignancies. However, the expression profile and clinical significance of GLRX3 in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate GLRX3 expression in PTC and its associations with clinicopathological characteristics.Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 93 patients with primary PTC who underwent surgery at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital between January 2016 and December 2017. GLRX3 expression in PTC tissues and corresponding adjacent normal thyroid tissues was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and semiquantitatively scored according to staining intensity and the proportion of positive cells. Associations between GLRX3 expression and clinicopathological variables were analyzed using the chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test or McNemar’s test, as appropriate.Results: Positive GLRX3 staining was predominantly localized in the cytoplasm of PTC cells. High GLRX3 expression was detected in 51 of 93 PTC tissues (54.8%), compared with 3 of 93 matched adjacent normal thyroid tissues (3.2%; P < 0.001). High GLRX3 expression was significantly associated with capsular invasion (P = 0.007) and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.042), but not with sex, age, tumor size, TNM stage, local invasion, distant metastasis, or thyroid-related serological parameters (all P > 0.05).Discussion: The association of high GLRX3 expression with capsular invasion and lymph node metastasis suggests that GLRX3 may be involved in the aggressive biological behavior of PTC.Conclusion: GLRX3 is overexpressed in PTC and may serve as a potential marker of aggressive tumor behavior.