PD-L1 Expression Varies in Thyroid Cancer Types and Is Associated with Decreased Progression Free Survival (PFS) in Patients with Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer.

Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) remains a significant clinical challenge worldwide, with a subset of patients facing aggressive disease progression and therapeutic resistance. Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) have emerged as promising therapeutic approaches for various malignancies, yet their efficacy in TC remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to investigate PD-L1 expression in aggressive TC and its association with histological subtypes, molecular mutation, and progression-free survival.

Association of Free Thyroxine with Progression-Free Survival in Intermediate and High Risk Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

Context: Supraphysiologic thyroxine (T4) doses are used in intermediate and high-risk patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (IR/HR-DTC) to suppress tumor progression by thyrotropin (TSH). However, preclinical data suggest that T4 can also act as a growth stimulus for cancer, but there is no clinical evidence supporting this claim.

Objective: We analyzed the association between free T4 (FT4) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with IR/HR-DTC.

Sex-Specific Expression of Histone Lysine Demethylases (KDMs) in Thyroid Cancer.

Background: The incidence of thyroid cancer in women is 3-4-fold higher than in men. To characterize sex-specific molecular alterations in thyroid cancer, we examined the expression of sex-biased genes in normal thyroids and thyroid tumors.

Methods: Ingenuity pathways analysis was used to define sex-biased gene networks using data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

A Rare Case of Persistent Multifocal Cribriform-Morular Thyroid Carcinoma.

Background/objective: Cribriform-morular thyroid carcinoma (CMTC) was considered a variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) but is a separate entity in the 2022 World Health Organization classification. CMTC has an association with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Our objective is to report a case of CMTC who was subsequently diagnosed with FAP, to highlight these associated entities and implications for management.

Sex Differences in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

Sex dimorphism strongly impacts tumor biology, with most cancers having a male predominance. Uniquely, thyroid cancer (TC) is the only nonreproductive cancer with striking female predominance with three- to four-fold higher incidence among females, although males generally have more aggressive disease. The molecular basis for this observation is not known, and current approaches in treatment and surveillance are not sex specific.

Do Molecular Profiles of Primary Metastatic Radioiodine Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Differ?

Management of metastatic radioiodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) can be a therapeutic challenge. Generally, little is known about the paired molecular profile of the primary tumor and the metastases and whether they harbor the same genetic abnormalities. The present study compared the molecular profile of paired tumor specimens (primary tumor/metastatic sites) from patients with radioiodine refractory DTC in order to gain insight into a possible basis for resistance to radioiodine.

Clinical, Pathological, and Molecular Profiling of Radioactive Iodine Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

Six to 20% of thyroid cancer (TC) patients develop distant metastases, and one-third become radioiodine refractory (RAIR). Available targeted therapies increase progression-free survival but are associated with toxicities. This study aims to characterize clinical, pathological, and molecular profiles of patients with RAIR TC.

Toxoplasma serotype is associated with development of ocular toxoplasmosis.

Background: Worldwide, ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is the principal cause of posterior uveitis, a severe, life-altering disease. A Toxoplasma gondii enzyme-linked immunoassay that detects strain-specific antibodies present in serum was used to correlate serotype with disease.

Methods: Toxoplasma serotypes in consecutive serum samples from German uveitis patients with OT were compared with non-OT seropositive patients with noninfectious autoimmune posterior uveitis.

The p110α and p110β isoforms of class I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase are involved in toll-like receptor 5 signaling in epithelial cells.

Background: Bacterial flagellin triggers inflammation in mammalian cells via Toll-like receptor (TLR) 5. Release of the chemokine IL-8 in response to flagellin involves NF-κB, p38 MAP kinase, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). However, PI3K has been reported to be either pro- or anti-inflammatory in different model systems.

Protein kinase D interaction with TLR5 is required for inflammatory signaling in response to bacterial flagellin.

Protein kinase D (PKD), also called protein kinase C (PKC)mu, is a serine-threonine kinase that is involved in diverse areas of cellular function such as lymphocyte signaling, oxidative stress, and protein secretion. After identifying a putative PKD phosphorylation site in the Toll/IL-1R domain of TLR5, we explored the role of this kinase in the interaction between human TLR5 and enteroaggregative Escherichia coli flagellin in human epithelial cell lines. We report several lines of evidence that implicate PKD in TLR5 signaling.

Cholesterol in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegenerative dementia and affects up to 15 million people worldwide. Although no single cause of AD has been identified, recent research has suggested that several pathogenetic factors influence risk and expression. A growing amount of evidence underscores a mechanistic link between cholesterol metabolism in the brain and the formation of amyloid plaques.