Cholesterol and 27-hydroxycholesterol promote thyroid carcinoma aggressiveness

Sci Rep. 2019 Jul 16;9(1):10260. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-46727-2.

Abstract

Cholesterol mediates its proliferative and metastatic effects via the metabolite 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-HC), at least in breast and endometrial cancer. We determined the serum lipoprotein profile, intratumoral cholesterol and 27-HC levels in a cohort of patients with well-differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC; low/intermediate and high risk), advanced thyroid cancers (poorly differentiated, PDTC and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, ATC) and benign thyroid tumors, as well as the expression of genes involved in cholesterol metabolism. We investigated the gene expression profile, cellular proliferation, and migration in Nthy-ori 3.1 and CAL-62 cell lines loaded with human low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Patients with more aggressive tumors (high-risk PTC and PDTC/ATC) showed a decrease in blood LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B. These changes were associated with an increase in the expression of the thyroid's LDL receptor, whereas 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase and 25-hydroxycholesterol 7-alpha-hydroxylase were downregulated, with an intratumoral increase of the 27-HC metabolite. Furthermore, LDL promoted proliferation in both the Nthy-ori 3.1 and CAL-62 thyroid cellular models, but only in ATC cells was its cellular migration increased significantly. We conclude that cholesterol and intratumoral accumulation of 27-HC promote the aggressive behavior process of PTC. Targeting cholesterol metabolism could be a new therapeutic strategy in thyroid tumors with poor prognosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / pathology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cholestanetriol 26-Monooxygenase / genetics
  • Cholesterol, LDL / blood*
  • Cytochrome P450 Family 7 / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Hydroxycholesterols / metabolism*
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / genetics
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Receptors, LDL / genetics
  • Steroid Hydroxylases / genetics
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic / genetics
  • Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic / metabolism
  • Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic / pathology
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / genetics
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Hydroxycholesterols
  • LDLR protein, human
  • Receptors, LDL
  • 27-hydroxycholesterol
  • HMGCR protein, human
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases
  • Steroid Hydroxylases
  • Cytochrome P450 Family 7
  • CYP7B1 protein, human
  • CYP27A1 protein, human
  • Cholestanetriol 26-Monooxygenase
  • MTOR protein, human
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases