Structural alterations in tumor-draining lymph nodes before papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasis
Andrew M. Hinson MD
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Search for more papers by this authorNicole A. Massoll MD
Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Search for more papers by this authorLee Ann Jolly PhD
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Search for more papers by this authorBrendan C. Stack Jr MD
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Search for more papers by this authorDonald L. Bodenner MD, PhD
Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Aime T. Franco PhD
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Correspondence Aime T. Franco, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Biomedical Research Building II, Room 264-2, Little Rock, AR 72205. Email [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAndrew M. Hinson MD
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Search for more papers by this authorNicole A. Massoll MD
Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Search for more papers by this authorLee Ann Jolly PhD
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Search for more papers by this authorBrendan C. Stack Jr MD
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Search for more papers by this authorDonald L. Bodenner MD, PhD
Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Aime T. Franco PhD
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
Correspondence Aime T. Franco, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Biomedical Research Building II, Room 264-2, Little Rock, AR 72205. Email [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorFunding information: This work was supported by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences grant NIH UL1TR000039; The American Thyroid Association/Thyca research grant (A. Franco); UAMS Envoys Seeds of Science Award (A. Franco).
Abstract
Background
The purpose of this study was to define and characterize the thyroid tumor-draining lymph nodes in genetically engineered mice harboring thyroid-specific expression of oncogenic BrafV600E with and without Pten insufficiency.
Methods
After intratumoral injection of methylene blue, the lymphatic drainage of the thyroid gland was visualized in real time. The thyroid gland/tumor was resected en bloc with the respiratory system for histological analysis.
Results
Although mice harboring BrafV600E mutations were smaller in body size compared with their wild-type (WT) littermates, the size of their thyroid glands and deep cervical lymph nodes were significantly larger. Additionally, the tumor-draining lymph nodes showed increased and enlarged lymphatic sinuses that were distributed throughout the cortex and medulla. Tumor-reactive lymphadenopathy and histiocytosis, but no frank metastases, were observed in all mice harboring BrafV600E mutations.
Conclusions
The tumor-draining lymph nodes undergo significant structural alterations in immunocompetent mice, and this may represent a primer for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) metastasis.
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