Gadd45γ expression is reduced in anaplastic thyroid cancer and its reexpression results in apoptosis

Abstract

Anaplastic thyroid carcinomas are a highly aggressive and extremely lethal form of human cancer, but the biological characteristics related to their aggressive nature are not understood. Moreover, Gadd45 family proteins have been implicated in a variety of growth-regulatory mechanisms, including DNA replication and repair, G2/M checkpoint control, and apoptosis. In this study we found that Gadd45γ RNA was present at significantly lower levels in anaplastic cancer cells, compared with normal primary cultured thyrocytes. In addition, the adenovirus-mediated reexpression of Gadd45γ significantly inhibited the proliferation of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells, ARO, FRO, and NPA cells, which was attributed to apoptosis. Furthermore, the adenovirus-mediated delivery of Gadd45γ gene in anaplastic thyroid cancer resulted in the inhibition of tumor growth in vivo. This in vitro and in vivo activity of the adenovirus-mediated transduction of CR6/Gadd45γ, on anaplastic thyroid cancer cell growth suppression, was reminiscent of the effects of p53. This study demonstrates that the Gadd45γ gene has potential use as a candidate gene for gene therapy in anaplastic thyroid cancer.