Evaluation of Serum Substance P Level and Tissue Distribution of NK-۱ Receptor in Papillary Thyroid Cancer

Background: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most prevalent malignancy of the endocrine system. This study was aimed at evaluating the serum substance P (SP) levels, the tissue distribution of Neurokinin-۱ receptors (NK۱-R), and their possible diagnostic value in PTC. Method: The present case-control study included ۳۱ healthy volunteers and ۳۱ cases (age range: ۲۵-۶۴, ۴۰.۲۶ ±۱۲.۷۷), who were primarily diagnosed with PTC and were candidates for total thyroidectomy. Pre-operative serum level of SP was measured using a commercial ELISA kit. The tissue distribution of NK۱-R was assessed immunohistochemically. Results: The serum level of SP in the patient group was higher than the healthy volunteers (P = ۰.۰۰۵). Besides, the expression of NK۱-R was higher in tumoral tissues compared with their normal surroundings (P = ۰.۰۰۵). However, we observed no significant correlation between either SP level or NK۱-R expression and the disease stage or lymph node involvement. Conclusion: SP level and NK۱-R expression were upregulated in PTC patients, showing the involvement of SP/NK۱R complex in PTC pathophysiology. Nonetheless, proposing SP/NK۱R as a diagnostic factor requires further studies because we found no correlation between SP/NK۱R and clinical stage or lymph node involvement.

کلیدواژه ها:

Thyroid neoplasms ، Substance P ، NK۱R ، Tachykinin ، cancer