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PubMed2005

Low prevalence of RET rearrangements (RET/PTC1, RET/PTC2, RET/PTC3, and ELKS-RET) in sporadic papillary thyroid carcinomas in Taiwan Chinese.

Somatic rearrangement of the tyrosine kinase receptor RET is restricted to papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The prevalence of RET/PTC1, RET/PTC2, and RET/PTC3 has been found to vary between 0% and 20% in most series of sporadic (nonradiation-induced) PTCs analyzed by type-specific reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) alone. However, high prevalence reported from Taiwan (6 out of 11, 55%) indicates RET rearrangement is an important genetic lesion underlying the development of PTC in Taiwan. Because the high prevalence of RET rearrangements in Chinese patients was particularly striking, we were prompted to reexamine chimeric transcripts of RET/PTC1, RET/PTC2, and RET/PTC3 using the same experimental designs in a larger number of cases in the same population. RT-PCR was performed to amplify fusion products of RET/PTC1, RET/PTC2, RET/PTC3, and ELKS-RET from frozen tissue of 105 sporadic PTCs. RT-PCR was also performed with two different primer sets for RET/PTC1, RET/PTC2, and RET/PTC3 followed by Southern hybridization in the first 62 tumors. In our study, RET/PTC1, RET/PTC2, and RET/PTC3 oncogenes were found in only 7 of 105 (7%) sporadic PTCs. Of these tumors, 3 involved RET/PTC1 and 4 involved RET/PTC3. No RET/PTC2 rearrangements were observed. In the first 62 tumor samples, another two different primer sets for each rearrangement also gave concordant results. Furthermore, application of Southern hybridization in these 62 PTCs did not identify additional tumor harboring RET chimeric transcripts. We identified one tumor as having an ELKS-RET rearrangement (1 of 105, 1%). In conclusion, we detected RET rearrangements in 8 of 105 (8%) sporadic PTCs in Taiwan, a much lower prevalence than previously reported for this population but comparable to those reported in other nations using similar methodology. RET chimeric oncogenes only account for a small fraction of PTCs in Taiwan.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2001

Conservation of RET proto-oncogene splicing variants and implications for RET isoform function.

The RET proto-oncogene encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase required for development of the kidney and neural crest-derived cell types. Alternative splicing of the 3' exons of human RET results in three protein isoforms with distinct C-termini: RET9, RET51, and RET43. These RET isoforms show differential binding to downstream adapter molecules, suggesting they may have distinct signaling functions. We have characterized Ret 3' sequences in mouse and investigated alternative splicing of this region. We found that the organization of Ret 3' sequences is very similar to human RET. The mouse locus also has alternatively spliced C-terminal coding regions, and the sequences corresponding to RET9 and RET51 are highly conserved in both position and sequence with the human locus. Further, we compared the predicted C-terminal amino acids of RET9 and RET51 in seven vertebrate species, and found that they are well conserved. We have identified sequence encoding a putative ret43 isoform in mouse, however the predicted amino acid sequence showed low homology to human RET43. Our data suggest that RET isoforms are evolutionarily highly conserved over a broad range of species, which may indicate that each isoform has a distinct role in normal RET function.

3' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed1998

Mutation of the RET proto-oncogene is correlated with RET immunostaining in subpopulations of cells in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Mutations in the RET proto-oncogene, which encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase, are associated with the pathogenesis of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Somatic mutations in RET, predominantly at codon 918, and very rarely at codon 883, have been found in a proportion of sporadic MTC. We have previously shown that approximately 80% of sporadic MTCs had at least one subpopulation with a somatic RET mutation. Uneven distribution of somatic mutation within a single tumor or among metastases from a single individual was notable. In the present study, we sought to correlate RET expression, as demonstrated by RET immunohistochemistry, with mutation status in sporadic MTC for each tumor. Seventy evaluable subpopulations, belonging to 28 unrelated sporadic cases, comprising primary MTC and metastases, were immunostained with two different polyclonal antibodies raised against the C-terminus of RET. The regional presence of codon 918 or 883 seemed to coincide with increased RET immunopositivity in at least 62 of 70 (89%, P < 0.000001) tumor subpopulations. The reasons for this concordance are not entirely clear but could be related to either RNA or protein stability. Preliminary studies have suggested that the presence of somatic codon 918 mutation in MTC has a prognostic significance. If these preliminary results prove true, then given our data, we can further explore the feasibility of RET immunocytochemistry as a rapid assessment for the presence of somatic codon 918 for molecular diagnostic and prognostic purposes.

Carcinoma, Medullary↗
PubMed1995

Characterization of RET proto-oncogene 3' splicing variants and polyadenylation sites: a novel C-terminus for RET.

The RET proto-oncogene, which encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase, displays multiple alternative splicing variants. Splicing of sequences 3' of exon 19 to generate several coding and untranslated region (UTR) sequences has been previously reported. We have sequenced the full length RET coding region and characterized the transcripts and 3' UTRs generated by alternative splicing of the RET 3' terminus. These analyses were performed using both RET cDNA cloned from a pheochromocytoma library and reverse transcriptase PCR products generated using RNA from a neuroblastoma cell line (LA-N-2). Three different carboxyl termini were identified. In addition to the nine and 51 terminal amino acid forms already known, we identified a third with 43 terminal amino acids predicted to encode a novel RET protein isoform. A total of 3621 base pairs of DNA 3' of exon 19, which spans the alternatively spliced exons and RET UTRs, was sequenced. Four polyadenylation sites were identified. The observed combinations of polyadenylation sites and 3' coding sequence suggest that RET transcripts with up to 10 different 3' sequences and up to 40 different full length RET transcripts may exist.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMed1996

Extensive mutation scanning of RET in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma and of RET and VHL in sporadic pheochromocytoma reveals involvement of these genes in only a minority of cases.

Sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and pheochromocytoma (PC) have been reported to be associated with some specific RET gene mutations. To assess the role of RET in the development of MTC and PC, we screened 14 sporadic MTC, two MTC-derived cell lines, and 5 sporatic PC cases of RET mutations by a systematic analysis of the whole coding sequence, including all intron-exon junctions. In only 6 of the 14 sporadic MTC we were able to detect a RET mutation. Apart from the MET918-->Thr mutation in 5 of the MTC cases, we found a 3-bp deletion in exon 11, only present in the tumor, in another case. Analysis of 2 cell lines revealed the Met918-->Thr mutation in 1 and a Cys634-->Trp mutation in the other cell line. A possible somatic nature of these mutations could not be confirmed because in neither case was constitutive DNA available. We conclude that a large proportion of sporadic MTC must be due to mutations in an unidentified gene(s) other than RET. In none of the sporadic PC cases was a RET mutation found. As PC is a frequent complication in families suffering from von Hippel Lindau disease, for which mutations of the VHL gene are responsible, we also screened the 5 sporadic PC cases for VHL mutations. This revealed a Gly164-->Ser mutation in a single specimen. Thus, in PC, a large majority of tumors are due to mutations in an unidentified gene(s) other than RET and VHL.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMed1996

Presence of physiologically stimulated RET in adult rat brain: induction of RET expression during nerve regeneration.

The product of the RET proto-oncogene is a protein belonging to the receptor-like tyrosine kinase superfamily. RET is expressed in several neural crest-derived cell lineages and has been implicated in the correct development of the peripheral nervous system. To gain further insight into RET function, we investigated the presence of active RET in adult rat tissues. We show, by immunoblotting, that the products of the RET proto-oncogene (p155ret) are present in specific regions of adult rat brain, including the cerebellum, striatum, brainstem, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and olfactory bulb. Moreover, in the cerebellum, p155ret is phosphorylated in tyrosine residues, thus indicating that this brain structure contains p155ret in an activated state. Finally, the presence of RET in motoneurons prompted us to analyze the effects of hypoglossal nerve section on its expression. We observed a dramatic increase in p155ret in the motoneuron nuclei, thus suggesting that RET tyrosine kinase plays a role in the neuronal response to axotomy and/or during nerve regeneration.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Detection of a novel type of RET rearrangement (PTC5) in thyroid carcinomas after Chernobyl and analysis of the involved RET-fused gene RFG5.

A novel type of RET rearrangement, PTC5, was detected in papillary thyroid carcinomas of two patients exposed to radioactive fallout after Chernobyl. Reverse transcription-PCR and rapid amplification of 5'-cDNA ends revealed a fusion of the ret tyrosine kinase (TK) domain with a sequence identical to that described previously as ret-II. Ret-II is a transfection artifact in NIH3T3 cells and has not yet been detected in any human tumor. Overlapping sequences found in the expressed sequence tag databases enabled us to sequence the COOH terminus of the ret-fused gene 5 (RFG5). The combined data made it possible to assemble a full-length rfg5 protein sequence. Computer-assisted analysis of this sequence reveals four putative coiled-coil structures, possibly involved in dimerization, but no membrane-binding sequences. Northern blots show a ubiquitous RFG5 expression in various normal tissues, including the thyroid gland. In addition to the RFG5/RET, we also detected the reciprocal RET/RFG5 transcript in both tumor samples, suggesting that the rearrangement is based on a balanced reciprocal translocation. In agreement with other rearranged TKs, it is concluded that the transforming action of the new fusion protein rfg5/ret in thyroid tumors may be due to an activation of the ret TK by constitutive expression and dimerization potential of the 5'-fused rfg5 protein. Ret immunohistochemistry indicates that the fusion protein is expressed in all cells of PTC5 tumors, suggesting that RFG5/RET rearrangement is an early event in thyroid carcinogenesis.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Analysis of retted and non retted flax fibres by chemical and enzymatic means.

Flax fibres (Linum usitatissimum L.) were subjected to chemical and enzymatic analysis in order to determine the compositional changes brought about by the retting process and also to determine the accessibility of the fibre polymers to enzymatic treatment. Chemical analysis involved subjecting both retted and non retted fibres to a series of sequential chemical extractions with 1% ammonium oxalate, 0.05 M KOH, 1 M KOH and 4 M KOH. Retting was shown to cause minimal weight loss from the fibres but caused significant changes to the pectic polymers present. Retted fibres were shown to have significantly lower amounts of rhamnogalacturonan as well as arabinan and xylan. In addition the average molecular mass of the pectic extracts was considerably lowered. Enzyme treatment of the 1 M KOH extracts with two different enzymes demonstrated that the non retted extract contained a relatively high molecular weight xylan not found in the retted extract. Treatment of the 1 M KOH extracts and the fibres with Endoglucanase V from Trichoderma viride demonstrated that while this enzyme solubilised cellulose as well as xylan and xyloglucan oligomers from the extract, it had limited access to these polymers on the fibre. MALDI-TOF MS analysis of the material solubilised from the extract suggested that the xylan was randomly substituted with 4-O-methyl glucuronic acid moieties. The xyloglucan was shown to be of the XXXG type and was substituted with galactose and fucose units. The enzyme treatments of the fibres demonstrated that the xylan and xyloglucan polymers in the fibres were not accessible to the enzyme but that material which was entrapped by the cellulose could be released by the hydrolysis of this cellulose.

Cellulase↗
PubMed1997

RET alternate splicing influences the interaction of activated RET with the SH2 and PTB domains of Shc, and the SH2 domain of Grb2.

Activating germline mutations of the RET receptor tyrosine kinase are found in the majority of cases of inherited cancer syndrome MEN 2, and inactivating mutations in some cases of dominantly inherited Hirschsprung disease. Using RET activated by a MEN 2 mutation, we show that both the SH2 and PTB domains of the adaptor protein Shc interact with RET, and we identify the PTB domain interaction site. Interaction with both the SH2 and PTB domains of Shc contributes to the transcriptional activation of a serum response element. RET alternate splicing affects the strength of interaction with both the Shc SH2 and PTB domains. In addition, a splice isoform-specific HSCR missense mutation, which does not inactivate the RET kinase activity, decreases the strength of the PTB domain interaction and the level of RET-dependent Shc phosphorylation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2001

Immunostaining for ret oncogene proteins in papillary thyroid carcinoma: a correlation of ret immunoreactivity and potential of lymph node metastasis.

Ret oncogenes, particularly Ret/PTC, have been associated with the potential of local invasion of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the Ret oncogene expression and the potential of lymph node metastasis of PTC. A total of 107 PTC were microscopically reviewed to identify areas of infiltrating carcinoma (IC). IC was defined as tumor cells disposed in a haphazard pattern and in lobules, nests, follicles, or single cells within a desmoplastic or sclerotic stroma. All cases were submitted to immunostaining for Ret oncogene. There were 36 noninfiltrating PTC with lymph node metastasis in 1 case and 71 infiltrating PTC with lymph node metastasis in 40 cases. For non-PTC, the positive immunoreactivity was often weak to moderate and focal. For infiltrating PTC with IC, the IC displayed strong immunoreactivity. The noninfiltrating component of PTC with IC usually showed stronger reactivity than PTC without an infiltrating component. Furthermore, 36 of 40 metastatic PTC in lymph node were immunoreactive. Three follicular adenomas with areas of scar caused by fine-needle aspiration biopsy were not immunoreactive for Ret. In view of the high potential of infiltrating PTC for lymph node metastasis, distinction of this type of carcinoma from its noninfiltrating form is clinically important. Because immunoreactivity for Ret is usually positive in areas of infiltrating PTC and is often negative or focally positive in noninfiltrating PTC, immunostaining for Ret is helpful to identify infiltrating PTC and distinguish it from changes caused by fine-needle aspiration biopsy in benign thyroid lesions.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Translocation t(10;14)(q11.2:q22.1) fusing the kinetin to the RET gene creates a novel rearranged form (PTC8) of the RET proto-oncogene in radiation-induced childhood papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Evaluation of 20 cases of radiation-induced childhood papillary thyroid carcinoma using fluorescence in situ hybridization demonstrated the presence of clonal translocations affecting the RET locus. Semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR indicated overexpression of the RET tyrosine kinase (TK) domain in four cases. In two cases, the RET rearrangements PTC6 and PTC7 were identified and assigned to balanced translocations t(7;10)(q32;q11.2) and t(1;10)(p13;q11.2), respectively. In one case with a balanced translocation t(10;14)(q11.2;q22.1), 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends revealed a novel type of RET oncogenic activation (PTC8), arising from a fusion of the 5' part of the kinectin (KTN1) gene to the TK domain of the RET gene. The presence of coiled-coil domains in the resulting ktn1/ret fusion protein suggests ligand-independent dimerization and thus constitutive activation of the ret TK domain.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2001

RET rearrangements in radiation-induced papillary thyroid carcinomas: high prevalence of topoisomerase I sites at breakpoints and microhomology-mediated end joining in ELE1 and RET chimeric genes.

Children exposed to radioactive iodine after the Chernobyl reactor accident frequently developed papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC). The predominant molecular lesions in these tumors are rearrangements of the RET receptor tyrosine kinase gene. Various types of RET rearrangements have been described. More than 90% of PTC with RET rearrangement exhibit a PTC1 or PTC3 type of rearrangement with an inversion of the H4 or ELE1 gene, respectively, on chromosome 10. To obtain closer insight into the mechanisms underlying PTC3 inversions, we analyzed the genomic breakpoints of 22 reciprocal and 4 nonreciprocal ELE1 and RET rearrangements in 26 post-Chernobyl tumor samples. In contrast to previous assumptions, an accumulation of breakpoints at the two Alu elements in the ELE1 sequence was not observed. Instead, breakpoints are distributed in the affected introns of both genes without significant clustering. When compared to the corresponding wildtype sequences, the majority of breakpoints (92%) do not contain larger deletions or insertions. Most remarkably, at least one topoisomerase I site was found exactly at or in close vicinity to all breakpoints, indicating a potential role for this enzyme in the formation of DNA strand breaks and/or ELE1 and RET inversions. The presence of short regions of sequence homology (microhomologies) and short direct and inverted repeats at the majority of breakpoints furthermore indicates a nonhomologous DNA end-joining mechanism in the formation of chimeric ELE1/Ret and Ret/ELE1 genes.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Low RET mutation frequency and polymorphism analysis of the RET and EDNRB genes in patients with Hirschsprung disease in Taiwan.

Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), or congenital intestinal aganglionosis, is a relatively common disorder characterized by the absence of ganglion cells in the nerve plexuses of the lower digestive tract, resulting in intestinal obstruction in neonates. Mutations in genes of the RET receptor tyrosine kinase and endothelin receptor B (EDNRB) signaling pathways have been shown to be associated in HSCR patients. In this study, we collected genomic DNA samples from 55 HSCR patients in central Taiwan and analyzed the coding regions of the RET and EDNRB genes by PCR amplification and DNA sequencing. In the 55 patients, an A to G transition was detected in two (identical twin brothers). The mutation was at the end of RET exon 19 at codon 1062 (Y1062C), a reported critical site for the signaling pathways. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in exons 2, 7, 11, 13, and 15 of RET and exon 4 of EDNRB in the HSCR patients or controls were detected. The differences between patients and controls in allele distribution of the five RET polymorphic sites were statistically significant. The most frequent genotype encompassing exons 2 and 13 SNPs (the polymorphic sites with the highest percentage of heterozygotes) was AA/GG in patients, which was different from the AG/GT in the normal controls. Transmission disequilibrium was observed in exons 2, 7, and 13, indicating nonrandom association of the susceptibility alleles with the disease in the patients. This study represents the first comprehensive genetic analysis of HSCR disease in Taiwan.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1999

Evidence for the c-ret protooncogene product (c-Ret) expression in the spinal tanycytes of adult rat.

Expression of the protein product of c-ret (c-Ret) in the spinal cord of the adult rat was examined immunohistochemically at both electron and light microscopic levels. In the cervical, thoracic and lumbar segments of the spinal cord, a large number of c-Ret immunoreactive cells were found in both ependymal and subependymal layers of the central canal. These cells were ovoid or triangular in shape and had a well developed single cytoprocess which protruded into the central canal. None of the neuropeptides and neuronal markers examined, including substance P, CGRP, galanin, neuropeptide Y, tyrosine hydroxylase, methionine-enkephalin, choline acetyltransferase and glially fibrilally acidic protein, was present in these c-Ret immunoreactive cells in the spinal cord. Ultrastructurally, a desmosome-like structure was found between the apical part of the cytoprocess and the ependymal cell. These morphological observations indicated that c-Ret positive cells are spinal tanycytes. The present results suggest that spinal tanycytes in the rat express a trophic factor receptor and may respond to GDNF in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Mice expressing a dominant-negative Ret mutation phenocopy human Hirschsprung disease and delineate a direct role of Ret in spermatogenesis.

The Ret receptor tyrosine kinase mediates physiological signals of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family ligands (GFLs) and is essential for postnatal survival in mice. It is implicated in a number of human diseases and developmental abnormalities. Here, we describe our analyses of mice expressing a Ret mutant (RetDN) with diminished kinase activity that inhibits wild-type Ret activity, including its activation of AKT. All RetDN/+ mice died by 1 month of age and had distal intestinal aganglionosis reminiscent of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) in humans. The RetDN/+ proximal small intestine also had severe hypoganglionosis and reduction in nerve fiber density, suggesting a potential mechanism for the continued gastric dysmotility in postsurgical HSCR patients. Unlike Ret-null mice, which have abnormalities in the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, the RetDN/+ mice only had defects in the parasympathetic nervous system. A small proportion of RetDN/+ mice had renal agenesis, and the remainder had hypoplastic kidneys and developed tubulocystic abnormalities postnatally. Postnatal analyses of the testes revealed a decreased number of germ cells, degenerating seminiferous tubules, maturation arrest and apoptosis, indicating a crucial role for Ret in early spermatogenesis.

Alleles↗
PubMed1993

Involvement of RET oncogene in human tumours: specificity of RET activation to thyroid tumours.

Non-thyroid neoplasia were analysed by Southern blot of genomic DNA and DNA prepared by reverse transcription and amplification by polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) for the activation of the RET oncogene. It is known that the rearrangement of RET occurs in about 10%-20% of human thyroid papillary carcinomas. None of 528 non-thyroid tumours showed rearrangement of the RET proto-oncogene, whereas three out of 30 thyroid papillary carcinomas were positive for RET activation. Therefore the activation of RET seems to be a somatic cell mutation specific to human thyroid carcinomas.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2002

High-level expression of receptor tyrosine kinase Ret and responsiveness to Ret-activating ligands in pheochromocytoma cell lines from neurofibromatosis knockout mice.

Pheochromocytoma cell lines derived from neurofibromatosis knockout mice express high levels of the receptor tyrosine kinase Ret, which is involved in the pathogenesis of human pheochromocytomas in hereditary multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2). Mouse pheochromocytoma (MPC) cells respond to the Ret-activating ligand GDNF by exhibiting Ret phosphorylation, neurite outgrowth, decreased proliferation, and altered expression of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes. GDNF exerts similar effects on human pheochromocytoma cells in primary cultures. Ret is minimally expressed by normal mouse chromaffin cells, from which pheochromocytomas are derived. Its expression at high levels by MPC cells suggests possible relationships between two previously unrelated tumor syndromes, neurofibromatosis, and MEN2. The responsiveness of these cells to GDNF suggests that they may be a valuable new model for neurobiology.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Development of a single-step duplex RT-PCR detecting different forms of ret activation, and identification of the third form of in vivo ret activation in human papillary thyroid carcinoma.

In up to 25% of human papillary thyroid carcinomas (PCs), the oncogenic activation of ret results from the fusion of its tyrosine kinase domain with different unlinked amino-terminal sequences. Activation of this oncogene may be of prognostic significance in patients with PC. To screen for ret activation in archival paraffin-embedded tumors, we have developed a single-step duplex RT-PCR to detect different forms of ret activation despite different chimeric transcripts being expressed. Furthermore, we report a third type of ret oncogenic activation, named ret/PTC3, identified by using this novel method followed by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'-RACE) cloning.

Amino Acid Sequence↗