Lipid droplet accumulation and adipophilin expression in follicular thyroid carcinoma

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2023-01, Vol.640, p.192-201
• Main Authors: Hayakawa, Michiyo, Taylor, J. Nicholas, Nakao, Ryuta, Mochizuki, Kentaro, Sawai, Yuki, Hashimoto, Kosuke, Tabata, Koji, Kumamoto, Yasuaki, Fujita, Katsumasa, Konishi, Eiichi, Hirano, Shigeru, Tanaka, Hideo, Komatsuzaki, Tamiki, Harada, Yoshinori
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma, Follicular - metabolism; Adenocarcinoma, Follicular - pathology; Adipophilin; Follicular neoplasm; Follicular thyroid adenoma; Follicular thyroid carcinoma; Humans; Lipid droplet; Lipid Droplets - metabolism; Perilipin-2; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase - metabolism; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - metabolism; Thyroid Neoplasms - pathology; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.12.007

Follicular neoplasms of the thyroid include follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and follicular thyroid adenoma (FTA). However, the differences in cytological findings between FTC and FTA remain undetermined. Here, we aimed to evaluate the accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) and the expression of adipophilin (perilipin 2/ADRP/ADFP), a known LD marker, in cultured FTC cells. We also immunohistochemically compared adipophilin expression in the FTC and FTA of resected human thyroid tissues. Cultured FTC (FTC-133 and RO82W-1) possessed increased populations of LDs compared to thyroid follicular epithelial (Nthy-ori 3-1) cells. In vitro treatment with phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling inhibitors (LY294002, MK2206, and rapamycin) in FTC-133 cells downregulated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) signaling pathway, resulting in a significant reduction in LD accumulation. SREBP1 is a master transcription factor that controls lipid metabolism. Fluorescence immunocytochemistry revealed adipophilin expression in the LDs of FTC-133 cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of surgically resected human thyroid tissues revealed significantly increased expression of adipophilin in FTC compared with FTA and adjacent non-tumorous thyroid epithelia. Taken together, LDs and adipophilin were abundant in cultured FTC; the evaluation of adipophilin expression can help distinguish FTC from FTA in surgical specimens. •FTC has increased numbers of lipid droplets and high adipophilin levels.•Adipophilin is located in/around the lipid droplets in FTC cells.•Assessment of adipophilin levels helps distinguish FTC from FTA.